What if?
by ZKS
Summary: What if Max, Isabel and Michael had left with Tess at the end of Season 2? What kind of life would Liz be living? What if the podsters returned four years later? Would anyone be waiting for them? CC...Eventually, But what's a good story without some drama
1. Chapter 1: Reliving the Past

**Disclaimer: Don't own anyone or anything, so don't sue!**

**A/N: This story is based on a "What-If?" What If Michael hadn't come out of the pod chamber at the end of Season 2 and Max, Tess, Isabel and Michael went to Antar together? What if they returned to earth 4 years later? Would anyone be waiting for them? This story will eventually be CC. But as with any good story, there's always some angst before you get to "happily together."**

**Chapter 1**

_Keep running, don't stop, don't look back, don't cry, and don't feel the pain the hurt the loneliness that is stabbing through your heart at this moment, JUST KEEP GOING. Just keep going forward, and don't think about the man with the deep amber eyes that you could get completely lost in, and don't think about his warm hands wrapping around you and making you feel so safe and so loved, and DEFINENTLY don't think about how much he loves you right now...but...but...why...why did he have to go...NO don't start crying, not now, be strong. She then heard a noise starting to erupt; she stopped running and turned around. She saw the spaceship that held 3 of her close friends and 1 enemy, going up in the air and disappearing into the space above. She couldn't help the raking sobs that went through her petite body as she watched. She couldn't hold it in anymore, she screamed up into the heavens, "Noooooo..."_

"Nooooo!" Liz stifled the cry that rose from her lips as she bolted upright in bed. She placed her small hand on her chest as she took several gulps of cool air. She looked at the sleeping form of her fiancé. He didn't even stir. Liz gingerly slid out of bed and closed the door to their bedroom before making her way into the kitchen. She wasn't worried that she'd wake Jeremy up. Nothing shy of an earthquake woke him up. She simply didn't want to have to explain her nightmare to him if by some random anomaly he awoke and saw her tear stained face.

Liz turned on the stove and placed the tea kettle on top of the burner. When she reached for a mug to put her tea in, she realized her hands were shaking. "Good grief it's not like you've never had this dream before," she chastised herself as she clasped her hands together and took several deep breaths. In fact, she'd had this nightmare since the day Max returned home to his planet with Michael, Isabel and Tess four and a half years ago. It had been almost a year since she'd had this dream but for some unexplainable reason she'd had it every night for the past week. When Liz started having this nightmare, she'd made a routine of making herself a cup of tea and sitting in the dark thinking until she felt tired enough to go back to bed. It was a comfort to have something familiar to do after how upset she always felt reliving that day.

The tea kettle began to whistle. Liz hastily grabbed a mug from the cupboard with her almost steady hand. As she turned, the mug hit the edge of the counter and shattered onto the floor. "Great," Liz growled as she shut off the stove. The kettle was still whistling as she gingerly stepped around the broken glass with her bare feet. She quickly swept up the chards of glass and dumped them into the trash as quietly as possible. Then it dawned on her what mug she had broken. It was the "I Love an Alien" mug that Amy DeLuca had given her for a going away present. Liz looked at its remains in the trash and bit back a sob.

She remembered the day she left Roswell with perfect clarity. Liz had been accepted to five major Universities when she graduated. She hadn't needed to think about her decision when she received a full scholarship to Harvard. She'd always dreamed of going there. She left only two weeks after graduation. Kyle and Maria had helped her pack up her boxes and load up the small truck that her parents had bought her as a graduation gift. Kyle had cracked jokes and Maria had cried when it was finally time to say goodbye. As Liz got into her truck, Amy had appeared with a small box with a red bow on top. "Don't open it until later," she'd whispered as she handed it to Liz and then enveloped her with a quick hug. "It's something to remember home by." She winked.

As soon as Liz had driven out of town, she'd opened the box. And there was a reminder of everything she was trying to leave behind. "I love an Alien" was emblazed on the mug in red lettering with Roswell, New Mexico printed on the handle. Liz had broken into tears and had hugged the mug and thought of Max. She only rarely used the mug, but she'd kept it all this time. She often speculated as to why Amy chose to give her that mug of all the Alien related paraphernalia that she made. She'd never come up with a good answer. When she'd moved in with Jeremy, he thought it was hilarious and took to using it every morning for his coffee.

Liz took a shaky breath as she carefully took out another mug, dropped in a tea bag and poured the still hot water into the cup. Liz shut off the kitchen light and let her eyes adjust to the darkness for a moment before she took her tea and sat on the small loveseat in their tiny living room. The window was open and the cool night air wafted over her as she thought about the past.

She'd often wondered what would have happened if they had been able to tell Max the truth. What would he have done if he knew that Tess had killed Alex? She had often envisioned him taking her in his arms and declaring that he loved her. After a year of those fantasies however, she'd given up thinking about that "what-if." It was too painful. They hadn't found out in time to stop their friends. It was very likely Max was living as a King with Tess and their child, oblivious of the pain and misery they'd left behind, and Liz couldn't imagine his destiny away.

Liz didn't know how she'd gotten through the first year. She went to school, did her homework and worked at the Crashdown, but inside she felt empty and aching. The questions surrounding the disappearance of the four aliens swirled around them for months. Kyle and his father did their best to shield Maria and her from them, but one had finally pushed Liz over the edge. It was two weeks before graduation. Pam Troy approached Maria and Liz and asked if it was true that the reason Liz and Max had broken up was that Max had gotten Tess pregnant and they ran away together instead of face their parents. Maria had laughed nervously. Liz had tried desperately not to cry because how close she had been to the actual truth. That night Liz resolved she would leave Roswell and never come back.

And she hadn't. When Liz decided that she hated the weather and the culture at Harvard, she had looked at several Universities with good biology programs on the west coast. She refused to go to Las Cruces, though their program was pretty appealing. It was too close to home in more than one way. She decided on UC Berkeley because it was located in a smaller community. It was also in California which meant sunny weather, and not the persistent overcast skies that seemed to dominate Harvard. When she found out that her scholarship would transfer, she'd wasted no time packing up her things and heading west. She arrived eight days later. It wasn't until her mom called her cell phone that she informed her parents of her decision. That was when she began to avoid her parents' calls. Her dad was furious that she was "giving up on Harvard" because she wasn't used to it, and her Mom couldn't understand why she didn't tell them she was unhappy.

Maria came out to visit her shortly after she'd moved into her dorm. Liz enjoyed seeing Maria, but her visit brought up all the old memories that Liz was trying to forget. It seemed Maria felt the same, because after that, their phone calls and emails became even more sporadic until they finally just stopped.

Liz kept her pain over everything at bay by busily working on her prerequisites for the molecular biology program at UC Berkeley and waitressing part time at a local restaurant. Jeremy was taking one of her classes and was constantly flirting with her. She spent most of her time ignoring him, or giving him an occasional cold rebuttal. Towards the end of the semester, he'd become more desperate, and finally promised to leave her alone if she would just go get coffee with him once. She'd refused. The next class, her professor had paired them together for a project. Liz had asked Jeremy how much he'd paid the man to put them together. Jeremy had laughed and said that it had nothing to do with money, but destiny. Liz had dismissed his comment, but the thought stuck with her. She'd often remembered what Max had said about making your own destiny. Perhaps Jeremy was her chance at making a destiny for herself she reasoned. The next time he asked her for a date, she'd accepted.

Liz was surprised by the whirlwind nature of their romance. It wasn't long before Jeremy proposed. She hadn't accepted, but asked for more time to get to know him. So they'd moved in together. Six months later, when he asked again, she'd said yes.

It wasn't that she'd forgotten about Max, but she knew he was gone and she needed to move on with her life. Jeremy was thoughtful and kind and she loved him for his sweetness and intelligence. Liz smiled as she looked at the evidence of their life together. Pictures of the two of them were set on the end table and several adorned their refrigerator. Her eyes rested on an old picture she had of Maria. It had been taken right before she'd left for Harvard. Liz felt a pang of guilt. She hadn't spoken to her friend in over six months. _How had that happened_? Liz wondered as she drained the last few sips from her now cold tea and reflected on how much she really missed her best friend. She longed for the security and comfort that she felt with Maria, and her parents for that matter.

Liz stood and flicked on the light before rinsing her mug in the sink and returning it to the cupboard. She was about to flick the light off again when she saw an airline advertisement on the back of Jeremy's day-old newspaper. She saw the fare for round trip tickets and she was hit with a sudden inspiration. She wanted to go back and visit the town that had been her home for so long. Maybe she could solve whatever it was that was going on with her and Maria face to face, and her parents could meet Jeremy. She smiled at the idea of her two lives finally meeting. It seemed to Liz that her life as a smallest of small town girls was about to end forever; giving way to an unimaginably huge present. She wasn't sure if she was excited about it or scared. But somehow the idea of Maria and her parents being involved in her life again made it less scary. She twisted her diamond ring around her finger as she quietly headed back to bed. Jeremy was still sound asleep when she slid underneath the covers. Liz smiled fondly and snuggled against him, feeling secure as she finally drifted back to sleep with memories of Roswell still floating in her mind.

Liz slept in. When she finally opened her eyes, she stretched out in the empty bed with a smile playing across her face as she remembered the plan she had formed last night. It surprised her how excited she felt at the thought of returning home. The lingering memory of her nightmare did not diminish her mood. She finally roused herself and headed for the bathroom. She hummed softly to herself as she turned on the shower. She stopped suddenly when she realized what the tune was. The song was "I Shall Believe." Liz frowned. Normally just hearing that song made her feel depressed and angst ridden, but today she simply felt it matched her mood. It was almost as if the song had no unpleasant connections to her past. Liz smiled at the thought. Perhaps it was a good omen that meant she was finally over Max. Liz dropped her bar of soap at the thought. Did she want to be over Max? She wondered as she slowly lathered her hair and inhaled the aroma that wafted throughout the bathroom. She wasn't sure. All she knew is that she felt happier than she'd felt in years, and she was determined to let nothing spoil her mood.

Liz got out of the shower and glanced at her wristwatch on the counter. Jeremy would be home from his last Saturday class in about an hour. Through the light fog on the mirror, Liz thought she saw something glimmering on her stomach. She looked down, but saw nothing. She looked into the mirror again and could have sworn she saw a silver handprint like the one Max had left on her so many years ago. It shimmered brightly. She inhaled quickly. She took a towel in her trembling hand and wiped it over the mirror. Her reflection showed her bare stomach. There was no handprint. It must have been the way the light was gleaming off her still wet stomach she reasoned. She felt foolish for her slight feeling of disappointment. "Of course it's not Max's handprint." She said aloud. "Max isn't even here, and if he was…" She trailed off as she toweled herself dry and got dressed. She reasoned to herself that sporting a glowing alien handprint was a surefire way to bring the FBI down on her, so why on earth was she disappointed that she didn't still have one? It's not like it would mean anything if she did. She spent the rest of the morning envisioning Max as King of his home planet with Tess and his son at his side. Somehow she felt the need to remind herself of their destinies. "We make our own destinies," she said aloud as she looked at her ring and smiled. She was making her destiny with Jeremy she reminded herself as she began to fix lunch for herself and Jeremy

Fifteen minutes later, Liz heard the key in the door. It opened and she heard Jeremy call her name. There was a loud thump which she assumed was his backpack. "Hi honey," she called back. "I'm in the kitchen."

"Hey." he said, as he leaned against the door frame while watching her every move.

"Hey, yourself." she answered back as she finished washing the dishes. She flashed him a quick smile as he made his way behind her and kissed her neck. Liz squirmed. "If you'd just hang on a second, I'll give you a real kiss." She said as she reached for a towel. Before Liz could actually reach it, Jeremy grabbed her and swung her around. When he finally set her down, he kissed her deeply. Her still wet hands went into his hair as she kissed him back. When they broke apart she giggled. "You're in a good mood today," she said as she turned to finish wiping her hands only to find them dry and Jeremy's blonde hair slightly wet.

He grinned at her playfully. "Yep. I've got good news," he declared as he held aloft a paper he'd been holding.

"I'm guessing it has something to do with that paper with an A at the top?" Liz said dryly.

Jeremy winked. "Give the lady a prize. I got an A in my Behavioral Science class." He announced.

Liz smiled widely. "Congratulations!" Liz exclaimed. "Does that mean we're celebrating?"

"What'd you have in mind?" Jeremy slid onto the countertop as he looked longingly at her.

Liz raised her eyebrows. "I was thinking about a road trip…" she could see Jeremy's disappointment.

"That was the last thing I was expecting you to say." Jeremy took his titanium glasses off his head and cleaned the lenses before replacing them. "I'm guessing there's an ulterior motive?"

Liz looked seriously into his eyes. "No, I just want to spend some quality time with you… while you get to know my parents."

"Parents?" Jeremy looked stunned.

"Yeah, you know the people that raised me."

"I thought you weren't talking to them." He asked confused.

"I haven't been, but I really want them to meet you, and I miss Roswell. I was thinking since we have some time before you have to be in Washington, it's perfect to go now."

"Ok." He stated.

"Okay?"

"Okay. I've wanted to meet your parents for months. Did you really think I was gonna say no?"

Liz laughed. "I knew you'd say yes which is why I already bought the tickets." She leaned against the counter next to him. "We leave tomorrow night on the red eye." Before he could object, Liz rose on her tip toes and gave him a quick kiss.

"Well you know how to win me over." Jeremy whispered in her ear a second later.

Liz yawned as she sat on her suitcase. Their red eye flight had been delayed, which caused them to miss their connecting flight in Vegas. By the time they finally arrived in Santa Fe it was almost 6am. Liz hadn't slept at all on the plane and she was feeling exhausted. Jeremy came up behind her. "Ready?" He asked gruffly as the abnormally perky rental car representative showed them to their car.

Liz threw her suitcase into the back of the blue Ford Explorer while the woman continued to chat with Jeremy about tourist traps they should avoid. Jeremy tried to stifle a yawn as he took the car keys from her. "Thanks," he said as he unlocked the doors. Both of them sank gratefully into their seats. "That was the flight from hell," Jeremy commented.

"I wouldn't have booked it if I knew that two year old was going to spend the whole four hours screaming. My hearing will never be the same." Liz lamented as she put her seat back and stretched. "Thanks for driving the first stretch," she added as they made their way out of the airport. Jeremy nodded and smiled.

Liz woke up almost two hours later. The sun had risen and its heat was beating the desert landscape. Liz slowly opened her eyes and watched the waves of heat rise off the landscape as they passed. She sat up.

"Morning sleepy head," Jeremy placed his large hand on her leg. "Sleep well?"

Liz nodded and rubbed her neck. "Mmhmm. Where are we?"

"In the middle of nowhere," Jeremy joked. "The map says there's someplace up ahead, would you mind driving for a while?"

"Yeah, sure." Liz looked around her and recognized where they were. The someplace that Jeremy was referring to was little more than a gas station and a few broken down mobile homes. When he pulled into the place fifteen minutes later, he looked around in surprise. Liz switched seats with him and pulled the car back onto the highway. "Don't blink, you'll miss it," she joked.

"Yeah," Jeremy looked out the window. "Is Roswell like that?"

Liz laughed. "No, it's much bigger, but it's not Berkeley. We do have a movie theater and a bowling alley though."

"I hope you're joking."

"No we really have them!"

"But that's it?"

"Well there's the UFO museum and what might pass for a mall in some alternative universe…" Liz suddenly realized how provincial she sounded and didn't finish her sentence. "It's not that bad honey. It's just different."

Jeremy grunted in reply as he closed his eyes. Liz set the cruise control and enjoyed the drive. The open highway was beautiful. She'd learned to love the open spaces when she was in younger; often spending hours in Max's jeep... Now she soaked in the familiar landscape. She let her mind wander as she drove down the straight highway. She remembered driving out here with Max one time. She smiled at the memory of the wind blowing through her hair. Liz shook herself. Thinking of Max was NOT a productive pastime. He was on another planet, for heavens sake! Who knew if he was even still alive? The thought hit her with the force of a train and she gasped for air. What if he was really dead? Liz felt a tear trip over her lashes and course down her cheek.

The thought continued to pester her as she drove. Jeremy's light snoring finally roused her from her thoughts. She looked at him. His short dirty blonde hair was matted against his forehead. He hadn't taken off his glasses, and they were smashed haphazardly on one side of his face. He was beautiful. Liz turned her attention back to the road. "Always and forever," Liz whispered the saying that Jeremy often promised her. She knew she'd never completely forget Max but as Liz drew nearer to Roswell, she knew that whatever her past was, her future was with Jeremy.

Liz started to get butterflies when they were a half an hour from town. No one knew they were coming. Liz hadn't been sure what to tell her parents, and she wanted to surprise Maria so she had simply decided to show up. She was beginning to wonder if that was such a good idea.

Her mind greedily took in the surrounding landscape. She had to stifle a laugh when she saw the UFO Museum's billboard that was about 20 miles out of town that the skins had defaced years ago by placing a time warping machine in it. It looked exactly as she remembered it. Liz gripped the steering wheel as she drove into town. It had been a little over three years since she'd left, and her memories were running rampant as she took in the town she'd grown up in. As she past the street where Max had once lived she wondered if the Evans still lived there. She felt a rush of sympathy for them, because they knew even less about what happened to Max and Isabel than she did. She slowed the car and tried to see if the house looked any different. Everything looked the same, as did the rest of the town… except for a new stop sign and a few new businesses she noted as she almost drove through the aforementioned sign.

"Honey, we're here," Liz declared as she turned onto Main Street and the Crashdown came into view. Jeremy groggily sat up and looked around. He eyed the Crashdown skeptically as she pulled into a parking space in front of it. "You weren't kidding when you said it was alien themed…" He muttered.

Liz grinned. "Wait until you see the inside." She took a deep breath and looked around her. She was nervous.

"You okay?" Jeremy asked as he squeezed her hand.

"Yeah I just…What do I say?"

"Whatever feels right, I guess." Jeremy looked again at the restaurant. "Let's just go in and have a cup of coffee. You don't even know if they're working today." He added soothingly.

Liz slowly took off her seatbelt and steeled herself to walk through those familiar doors. _Its going to be fine_, she told herself as Jeremy grabbed her hand led her down the sidewalk. At the doors she paused. "Thank you for being with me." She said softly.

Jeremy wrapped her in his arms and held her for a minute. Liz relished the feeling. Jeremy was always such a big support to her. "I love you," she whispered into his chest.

"Me too…But I'm dying for some coffee,"

Liz pulled away. Jeremy's face was completely blank except for the tiny smile that pulled on the corner of his lips. She swatted him playfully. "Fine, lets get you that coffee." She said as she pulled open the doors.

It took Liz's eyes a moment to adjust from the bright sunshine outside. The café was empty save one very bored looking waitress. A head appeared from behind the swinging door and called. "Sit wherever you like, someone will be with you shortly."

Liz immediately recognized the red hair. "Mom?" she said quietly.

The woman gasped as she looked at the woman who stood backlit by the doors. Could it really be? "Liz?"

Liz nodded and slowly headed towards her mom. "My baby," Nancy cried as she met Liz halfway and hugged her tightly. "You've come home." She said softly as she caressed Liz's face.

Liz could feel tears prinking in her eyes "I'm sorry I haven't called, or written... and I'm sorr…"

Nancy cut her off. "It doesn't matter, your home now." The two smiled at each other. Nancy refused to let go of her daughter's hands. "Well, sit down and tell me what you're doing here." She said as she yanked Liz towards a booth.

Liz reached out her hand for Jeremy, and he came to her side. "I wanted to show Jeremy where I grew up." She said as she slid into the booth and motioned for Jeremy to sit next to her.

Nancy looked up at the tall well-built blonde. "Jeremy?" She asked stupidly.

"It's a pleasure to meet you Mrs. Parker," Jeremy extended his hand to her. Nancy took it and shook it warmly. "You too," She replied in kind as she looked quizzically back at her daughter.

Liz smiled nervously as she fingered her ring. The motion was not lost on Nancy. She looked first at the ring, then at Jeremy again as he sat and finally back at Liz. "Are you married?" She asked, fearing the answer.

"No!" Liz exclaimed. "I mean, not yet. Jeremy and I are engaged." Liz smiled up at her fiancé before looking back at her mom. "I wanted to tell you in person." She explained quietly as she studied her mother's face. Nancy raised her eyebrows but said nothing. Liz smiled at her mom and was rewarded with a grin from the other woman.

"Engaged? Well I guess I should get your father out here before you're actually married." She joked at she grabbed Liz's hand and gave it a squeeze. Liz thought she saw tears in her mom's eyes as she got up from the table.

Jeremy stood also. "Ma'am? I know this comes as a surprise, but I want you to know how much I love your daughter." He declared.

Nancy paused for a minute and then smiled. "Of course. I'm sorry." She swallowed and shook her head. "This has just been one too many surprises." She appraised him quickly with the smile still plastered on her face. "If my daughter loves you, then I know I will too. Welcome to the family." Nancy gave him a small hug.

Liz smiled happily as she got out of the booth and received another huge hug from her mom. Nancy smiled at her daughter. "If I don't get your dad out here before I hear any more news, heaven help us all," her voice shook slightly with emotion.

Liz chuckled. "Where is dad?"

"He's in the back talking to a supplier. I'll go get him."

Liz smiled and nodded. Jeremy had sat back down, so she sat next to him on the end. "So that's your mom." He stated.

"Yeah, that's mom." She replied as a waitress came up. Her nametag identified her as Erin. Before the waitress could ask what they wanted, Liz ordered two coffees with cream. The two sat in silence for a moment and then they heard a man exclaim "Lizzy!"

Liz turned around to see her father hurrying towards them. Her first impression was he looked older than the last time she'd seen him. His hair was streaked generously with gray and his face had more wrinkles than she remembered. She stood as he hugged her to him. "Hi dad," she greeted him softly. When he finally released her, she saw him grinning broadly. "I've missed you." She told him.

"Me too." He replied. His eyes shifted from her to Jeremy who had once again stood. "Nancy told me you brought someone with you." He said eyeing the man in front of him. "Jeff Parker." He said holding out his hand. "And you are?"

"Jeremy Highland. It's a pleasure to meet you sir."

Jeff nodded and motioned for them all to sit. Once they were all settled back in the booth and the coffee came, Jeff spoke as he rested his arm around his wife's shoulders. "So Nancy says you have some news?"

Liz took a deep breath and reached for Jeremy's hand underneath the table. He squeezed it gently. "Actually Dad, um… Jeremy and I are getting married."

Jeff looked wide-eyed at the couple in front of him. "You're- my baby's getting married!" He looked disbelievingly at Nancy.

Nancy chuckled quietly. "It's a lot to take in, isn't it?"

Jeremy cleared his throat. "Actually, I was hoping I'd have a chance to formally ask you for your daughter's hand. I love her, and she loves me. I'd like to ask you for your blessing."

Jeff leaned back and exhaled slowly. "Well I'll be…" he muttered under his breath. He sighed. "If my daughter's already said yes, then the only thing I can say is you better treat my baby well." Liz hugged Jeremy fiercely before jumping out of the booth and hugging her father again.

Liz and Nancy were both tearing up when the door chime went off and Jeff noticed a group of tourists enter the restaurant. "Why don't we take this upstairs?" He suggested. The four headed into the employee break area. Liz wrapped her arms around her dad's waist as they walked.

At the foot of the stairs, the phone began to ring. Jeff stopped to answer it. He motioned for the rest of them to head up to the apartment without him. Liz noticed his annoyed expression as she followed Jeremy and her mom upstairs.

Fifteen minutes later, Jeff reappeared, looking hassled. "Erin just quit, and Lucy called in sick. We're short two waitresses, so I'm gonna have to go work during the lunch rush." He explained apologetically.

"Can we help?" Jeremy asked politely.

"No. It'll be fine. Agnes is still here, so she'll help." Jeff replied.

Liz stifled a giggle. "Dad if it's just you and Agnes you need help. I can probably still fit into my old uniform, why don't you let me come down and help for a few hours." She suggested.

"No honey, it's fine. You guys just got here, and you must be exhausted."

Liz raised her eyebrows. "I know that tone dad. I'm helping. Just give me a few minutes to find my uniform and I'll be down."

Jeff looked embarrassed and grateful at the same time. "Well if you're sure Lizzy."

Liz chuckled. "I'll be down soon," she declared as she headed to her room. She could hear Jeremy offering to help, which Jeff flatly refused. Liz called back into the room. "Mom, I bet you can convince Jeremy to stay here with you if you make him your famous tuna melts!"

She heard everyone laugh. Liz heard her mom asking Jeremy if he wanted a tuna melt as she closed the door. She leaned against it as she took in the room. It looked as she had left it. Her dressers and mirror and bed were still in the same place. Her bookshelf was half empty. Most of her books she'd taken with her, and the ones left behind had been neatly collected together on the top shelf. She opened her window and looked out on her balcony. Her chaise lounge chair and tables were still there, as were the twinkle lights that she'd hung long ago. It was a strange feeling coming back to the room that was yours after so many years. It was familiar, yet foreign.

After a few moments of introspection, she remembered what she was supposed to be doing. She pulled out her old teal uniform out of a drawer. It was slightly wrinkled so she shook it out and tried to smooth it with her hands. When she'd changed, she apprised herself in the mirror. She was pleasantly surprised to see that it still fit her. Actually, it looked pretty good, she thought as she searched for her sparkly antennae to complete the outfit.

When she left her room a few minutes later complete with antennae, she could smell her mom's tuna melts wafting through the house. She found her mom and Jeremy in the kitchen talking. "Well it still fits." She declared as she struck a pose.

Jeremy let out a guffaw at the outfit, and Nancy grinned. "That sure brings back memories," Nancy said.

Liz nodded. "So I should get down there to help dad, but save me some stuff for lunch, okay?" She asked as she kissed her mom's cheek. Jeremy followed her to the door. "Now you know why I love your alien mug," he said as he stole a kiss from her and gave her a once over with his eyes. Liz gave him a playful slap as she headed downstairs to serve greasy alien themed food to the masses.

Two hours later, Liz leaned against the counter. The lunch crowd was beginning to thin out and all of her customers were taken care of for the moment. Liz fingered a bottle of Tabasco sauce and remembered all the times she'd worked here with Maria. She hadn't had a chance to ask her mom what Maria was up to, and she was anxious to see her. A fierce growl from her stomach broke her train of thought. Liz took another quick glance around the room and was about to head into the break room and see if she could steal some French fries or something to eat when she heard the door chime.

Liz turned around and saw a petite woman with flowing blond hair and huge sunglasses enter the restaurant. The shriek she emitted when she saw Liz identified her: Maria. "Oh. My. God! Liz! What are you doing here? Why are you working?" The sentences tumbled out of her mouth.

Liz grinned as she made her way around the counter. "Hi Maria!" she said brightly.

"Don't hi Maria me, give me a hug!" Maria exclaimed as she rushed to meet her friend. When they finally parted, Maria grinned broadly. "Ok now, spill. What are you doing here?"

"I came back for a visit." Liz said as she led her into the break room. Several people were staring at them, and Liz had a feeling that Maria might spontaneously combust when she found out she was engaged and she didn't want it to be public.

"You came back for a visit, and you didn't TELL me?" Maria yelled the second they were behind the door.

Liz winced at her volume. "We didn't tell anyone Maria, it was kind of a spur of the moment thing." Liz explained.

"We? Who's we?"

"Jeremy came with me."

Maria pulled Liz onto the dilapidated couch with an arch expression on her face. "And who may I ask, is Jeremy?"

"Jeremy's my fiancé." Liz couldn't help the smile that spread over her face when she saw Maria's reaction. Her mouth dropped open and she was literally at a loss for words.

Liz held up her hand to show Maria the ring as Maria began to say "I wanna see… the ring…" She trailed off. "That is beautiful." She exclaimed. "So where is he? Can I meet him?"

Liz pretended to frown. "I don't know Maria, are you sure you want to meet him?"

Maria rolled her eyes. "Obviously I want to meet him, and then we have some serious talking to do. I mean there is so much I have to tell you."

Liz nodded. "I have a lot to tell you too."

"I mean I have something really…out of this world to tell you."

Liz wondered at her friend's at her choice of words, but before she could ask, Jeremy came down the stairs. "Hey." He said, "I was just going to unload the car."

Liz smiled. "Jeremy, I want you to meet Maria DeLuca." She gestured grandly towards Maria.

Maria stood uncomfortably. "So you're Liz's fiancé?" She asked.

"Guilty." Jeremy replied as he held out his hand. "It's a pleasure to meet you. Liz talks so much about you."

"Does she?" Maria asked dryly looking back at Liz before she returned her attention to Jeremy. "Well it's great to meet you." She finally said as she took his hand. "Congratulations." She forced herself to say.

At that moment, Jeff Parker walked out of the kitchen. "Lizzy, we've got customers waiting." He said urgently, and then he noticed Maria. "Oh. Hi Maria, didn't see you come in."

"Hi Mr. Parker, it's good to see you." Maria greeted him.

Jeff smiled and gestured to the dining room. "I'm sorry to cut the visit short, but I really need Liz out there…" He trailed off.

Liz shot Maria a look of dismay. "Can you hang around for a bit? Things are slowing down, and I should have a chance to talk soon."

"Yeah," Maria smiled. "In the meantime, I can get to know studly here…"

Liz felt herself blush at Maria's insinuation. "Please don't embarrass me too badly," she pleaded in her friend's ear. She quickly stepped through the swinging door and collected several checks from her customers before seating another couple that had just walked in. Maria grinned impishly and pulled Jeremy into an empty booth for a Maria style interrogation.


	2. Chapter 2: Home

**AN: **So I'm a little slow on the uptake and it took me a while to figure out HOW to insert notes... It's so simplistic it didn't register! At anyrate, I figure I should do the obligatory "I don't own anything" speech. So I don't own anything! Phew, now that I've done that, hopefully I don't have to worry about getting sued?

Also thanks for all the reveiws. I appreciate them!Hopefully, the questions that were posed will be answered in this and following chapters. Keep reveiwing!

Happy Reading!

**Chapter 2**

Over an hour later, Liz sat next to an uncomfortable looking Jeremy. "How are you two doing?" Liz laughed at the smug smile that Maria wore in response to her question. "Do I even want to know what that smile is about?" She asked Jeremy.

"No!" He exclaimed. "Is she always like this?" His voice cracked slightly which made Maria chuckle.

"Yes," Liz smiled gamely knowing she must have walked in on something fairly embarrassing. "Sorry," she whispered in Jeremy's ear. Her attention was quickly diverted however by a huge group of high school aged kids entering the café. She reluctantly slid out of the booth and said, "duty Calls." With a shrug she left them.

After she'd taken the group's drink orders, she glanced at Maria who was staring at her with a look of confusion and worry. She started to head over to ask her friend what was wrong when she heard the door chime go off. At the same moment she felt a white hot jolt of electricity snake its' way across her heart. She looked up and entering the café was a tall, well built man with short, dark hair. She took a step forward to seat him and then she saw his eyes. She tripped and went sprawling on the floor. She cursed herself as she felt a pain shoot from her ankle up her leg.

Jeremy was by her side in an instant. Liz couldn't bring herself to look up. She was afraid that if she did, she'd realize she was only hallucinating. On the other hand, what if it really was... Liz looked up. Max Evans was still standing by the door staring at her. "Oh my God," she whispered.

"Are you okay?" Jeremy asked as he tried to help her to her feet.

Liz barely heard him. "Yeah," she said as she tried to stand. She winced as her foot touched the floor. The pain that pulsated through her ankle brought her back to reality. "Um, maybe not," she whispered. A second later, Max stood next to her.

"Did you hurt your ankle?" He asked. Liz felt lightheaded. She nodded slowly. She couldn't believe he was standing in front of her. "You should probably go ice it," Max suggested softly.

"Good Idea," Maria piped in. "Jeremy, why don't you and Max get Liz upstairs? I'll take care of everyone here okay?" Her voice was reasonably calm. Liz looked sharply at her. She didn't seem the least surprised to see Max standing in front of them.

Liz didn't have time to think anything else before Max slid an arm around her waist. She quickly sucked in a breath as Jeremy did the same. Liz felt herself being practically carried out of the restaurant and up the stairs to her parent's apartment. She felt trapped between the two men and was relieved when they finally deposited her on the couch. Jeremy quickly went into the kitchen to get some ice. Max looked around quickly then sat in front of her on the coffee table and drew her foot up to sit on his lap. He gently caressed her ankle. "It's not broken," he whispered conspiratorially. Liz nodded but said nothing. She had to be dreaming she thought. She felt a warm tinkle in her ankle and looked down to see a faint glowing from Max's hands.

The image of the silver handprint on her stomach flashed through Liz's mind and she yanked her ankle away. "Don't Max," She whispered. She thought he looked confused and hurt but before she could explain that it would be hard to hide the tell tale mark his healing would leave on her ankle, Jeremy came back into the room. "Max says he doesn't think it's broken." Liz declared hastily as Max stood.

Jeremy eyed Max skeptically. "Are you a doctor?" He asked.

Max shrugged, never taking his eyes off of Liz. "Not really, but I've had experience with this kind of thing."

Jeremy nodded and then turned his attention back to Liz. "I think we should head to the hospital Babe. Sometimes it's hard to know unless you get an X-Ray." Jeremy said, essentially dismissing Max.

Liz looked back and forth between the two men. She saw Max flinch slightly at Jeremy's term of endearment. Her mind screamed to find out how and why Max was standing in front of her instead of on some planet on the other side of the Universe, but she knew it was not the time or place with Jeremy standing there. "Can I just see how it feels after I ice it?" Liz asked Jeremy softly.

Jeremy nodded but he didn't look happy. He gently set the ice over her throbbing ankle. Liz tried not to wince. It seemed like time stood still as the three stayed motionless and unspeaking for several moments. Then Maria entered the room with Jeff Parker behind her.

"Are you okay, honey?" Jeff asked as he sat next to her. He took the ice off her ankle to inspect it. Liz could see that it was already beginning to swell. She was beginning to wish she'd let Max heal her. She felt like crying not only because of the pain, but because the man who had haunted her dreams for so many years stood before her, and there was nothing she could say. She saw Maria walk over to Max and whisper something to him.

Max looked at Liz for another moment, and then met Maria's eyes. He nodded his understanding. "Uh, if there's nothing else I can do…" Max trailed off as Liz's eyes met his. Liz wanted to clear the room right that instant, but knew it would be odd, so she simply nodded.

"Thanks Max. It…it was good to see you again." Liz heard her voice falter, and looked down. She couldn't handle seeing him walk out the door. She didn't realize how much she wanted him to stay until she heard the door close and she looked up. Max was gone. "Maybe I should go to the hospital." Liz whimpered.

Max had wandered around town after leaving the Crashdown. He finally headed back home when he realized that he'd been gone most of the afternoon. Isabel and Michael were watching Jerry Springer reruns in the living room when he slouched past them.

The duo looked up when they felt the pain radiating off of him. "Even I felt that Maxwell, what happened?" Michael demanded.

"I really don't want to talk about it Michael." Max said patiently before he started to head up the stairs.

"Max," Isabel called. "What are you so upset about?"

Max hung his head. "Liz is here." He said quietly as he held onto the banister and thought longingly of his quiet room upstairs, wishing Isabel and Michael would stop asking him questions.

Michael looked heavenward. "Figures," he muttered as Isabel rammed her elbow into his ribs.

"Did you talk to her?" She asked as she came into the foyer.

"Not really."

Isabel frowned. "Okay… Did she see you?" She asked hoping to illicit a more clear response.

Max nodded. "She was working at the café. She sprained her ankle and so I helped her upstairs with this other guy. I didn't get a chance to heal her cause everyone was around." Max sighed. "She acted like she didn't want me to heal her…" Max looked at Isabel. "I guess I was kind of in the way. Maria told me I should come back later." Max shrugged after a moment of silence. "Anyways, she's at the hospital now."

Isabel put a comforting hand on her brother's shoulder. "You'll get a chance to talk to her later."

Max stared straight ahead. "Yeah I will." He said absentmindedly.

Isabel and Michael exchanged worried glances. They understood what the other one was thinking. Max wasn't the same after they left earth. They'd hoped that he would get better once they returned. For the first time in two weeks, they began to wonder if their plan wasn't as successful as they thought it was. Max stood oblivious to them. Finally Michael sighed and headed back to the living room and flopped on the couch. "Hey Maxwell, we're watching Jerry Springer, why don't you join us?"

Max blinked. "Uh thanks, but I think I'll just head upstairs for a while." He smiled tightly at Isabel and headed back upstairs.

An hour later he emerged. Isabel noticed that he had changed his clothes. "Are you going to see Liz?" She asked.

"How'd you know?"

"You changed your clothes and," Isabel sniffed the air, "you're wearing cologne."

Max looked at her sheepishly as he asked, "too obvious?"

Isabel shook her head and smiled. "It's fine. Tell her hi for me, okay?"

Max nodded as he left the house and jumped into their newly purchased 1966 mustang. He parked on the main street and looked at the flashing lights of the Crashdown. He noted that the Parker's car was parked in the alleyway. Liz must be home he reasoned. He jogged into the alleyway and stopped in front of Liz's fire escape. He needed to do this. His hands grabbed the hot metal as he began his ascent to Liz's balcony.

That night Maria and Liz sat on Liz's bed. Max was right. Liz hadn't broken anything. Her swollen ankle was bandaged and the doctor had ordered her to use crutches for a week while her sprain healed. Through the shut door of her bedroom, the girls could hear Liz's parents and Jeremy talking over the TV.

"So was I just hallucinating earlier, or was Max really here?" Liz asked forcing her tone to be light.

Maria leaned against the headboard and held her friend's hand. "He was here. Actually so are Isabel and Michael."

Liz looked into her friend's eyes. "How long have they been back?"

"About two weeks."

"Why didn't you tell me?" Liz demanded.

"I didn't just want to email you and say, 'guess what? The Czechs are back.' I tried calling but you'd moved." Maria explained. Her brows were knit together. "I never imagined you'd find out like this. I'm sorry." Maria remembered how surprised she'd been when Michael had arrived on her doorstep in the middle of a freak rainstorm and she had a rush of sympathy for her friend.

Liz squeezed Maria's hand. "It's okay… Why are they back here anyway?"

"It's a pretty long story, but what it comes down to is, they hated Antar and they wanted to come home." Maria smiled. "Michael said he missed me."

Liz pulled her friend into a fierce hug. "I'm so happy for you."

Maria thought she saw tears in her friend's eyes. She nodded as she bit her lip. "I can't believe it. I mean, I'd figured I'd never see him again and BAM there he is on my doorstep one night."

Liz chuckled. "How'd he know where to find you?"

"He went to Sheriff Valenti, and my mom answered the door." Maria smirked. "She spent the first ten minutes bawling him out for leaving me, and the next ten minutes telling him he'd better treat me right. According to him, mom had never been so happy to see him…"

"Wait, what was your mom doing at Valenti's house?"

Maria bolted upright. "Oh God, I forgot to tell you? Jim and my mom got married six months ago."

"What?" Liz exclaimed. Her mouth opened slightly in disbelief.

"Yep. I mean after all those years of flirting I guess it was kind of inevitable." Maria shrugged. "It was just a civil service. Kyle came out and he was best man and I was maid of honor."

"How weird is it to have Kyle for a stepbrother?" Liz readjusted herself on the bed and grinned. It felt good to be with Maria again.

Maria shrugged. "It's not that much different. He's still at Yale, so I don't see much of him. When I do see him he's always spouting Buddha so I hardly know what he's talking about." She rolled her eyes. Liz giggled. "Over Easter, he brought home some model and paraded her around town." Maria chuckled. "My mom subjected him to her lecture on women are people not things."

"That had to be…." Liz stopped speaking mid thought. Maria followed her stare to the window. Max had just climbed onto the balcony.

"I think maybe I should go." Maria said as she shimmied off the bed.

"Stay!" Liz commanded.

"Liz, Max isn't going to bite." She motioned for Max to come in as he stood awkwardly at the window. "I'll call you tomorrow and we'll go do something okay?"

Liz widened her eyes. "Maria…" Her tone warned of death and dismemberment if she left.

Maria ignored the tone. "I'll see you soon. I'll tell everyone the pain stuff they gave you knocked you out." She winked before she flew out of the room shutting the door behind her.

"Hi Max." Liz whispered.

"Hi." Max stood just inside the window

"You're back." She stated.

He nodded as he saw Liz's eyes filling with tears. "Liz…" he said softly as one tear spilled softly onto her cheek. He wanted to put his arms around her and hold her but he couldn't make his feet move. It was like he was glued to the ground.

Liz dashed the tear away. "I'm sorry; I just can't believe you're here."

Max heard the quiver in Liz's voice. This time his feet took him to her. He sat on her bed and pulled her into his arms. Her long silky hair caressed his cheek as she returned the embrace. "Oh my god," he heard her whisper as he felt tears wet the shirt he was wearing.

"I'm sorry Liz." He murmured as he wrapped his arms even more tightly around her waist.

Liz pulled away and looked into his eyes. "Sorry for what?"

"I didn't mean for you to find out like this." He gently wiped a stray tear from her cheek.

Liz chuckled. "It doesn't matter. I'm just happy you're home."

_Home._ Max loved the way the word sounded coming from her. "I am too," he said softly. Max couldn't stop softly caressing Liz's cheek. It was red and hot from her tears. He didn't think he'd ever seen her look more beautiful.

Liz looked deeply into his eyes and frowned. "Max, about earlier..." She grabbed his wrist and drew it away from her face. She placed it on her lap and held it gently in hers. "I'm sorry."

Max pulled his hand away and focused on Liz's faded bedspread. "No it's fine Liz, I should have asked."

"It wasn't that." Liz explained. "I was afraid I wouldn't be able to hide your handprint afterwards," she said shyly.

Max nodded in understanding. "I'd forgotten healing humans was different." His gaze rested on Liz's bandaged foot. An idea insinuated itself in his brain and he felt a smile pull on his lips. "How long to you have to keep the bandages on?" He asked.

Liz raised her eyebrows. "At least a week," she replied. "It should fade by then, don't you think?"

Max nodded as he scooted to the end of the bed and began to unwrap her swollen ankle. It already had a purplish bruise forming. He gently placed his hands around her ankle. A moment later, he removed them. His breathing was ragged and the flash he'd gotten still played in his mind. Why was Liz sobbing like her heart would break he wondered. He looked up at her. She was grinning.

"Thanks Max." She wriggled her toes happily. "Let's just hope I play a convincing invalid." She winked.

"I have faith in your acting abilities. Even so, we should probably wrap it up again." He looked at the bandage he'd left in a heap. With an impish grin he waved his hand over it, and then made a twisting motion. The bandage disappeared for a moment and then reappeared wrapped around Liz's ankle.

Liz's eyes locked on Max's. "I see you've learned some new tricks," she squeaked. She cleared her throat. "So are you going to tell me what happened?" She asked a moment later.

"I can't tell you everything tonight. Isabel and Michael will want to be here…" He replied.

"Are you here to stay?" She asked before he could continue what he was going to say.

Max grinned. "Yes."

A silence filled the air. Max soaked in every nuance of Liz's face. A strand of hair fell over her face, and she tucked it behind her ear, obviously lost in thought. Max wondered what she was thinking. He knew he was thinking of all the ways he wanted to make up for the time they'd been apart.

"What about the whole ruler of your people thing?" Liz asked finally.

Max thought she was going to add something else when her serious eyes held his. When she didn't add anything for a few moments however, he answered. "I gave it up so I could come back."

"So, you're not the King anymore?" Liz raised her eyebrows looking surprised.

Max shrugged. "Technically I am, since Antarian Law doesn't allow abdication. I guess you'd say I'm retired."

"Retired Royalty, huh?" Liz snickered. "That makes you sound old."

Max stood. "Just don't say that to Isabel. She'd freak." Max smiled when he saw Liz double over with her hand over her mouth trying to contain her laughter. He reached out his palm and concentrated as he slowly turned in a circle around the room. Slowly the ambient noise of the TV and the trio in the other room faded. When he finished he noticed Liz looking at him enquiringly. "I was sound proofing the room. Laugh as loud as you like."

Liz's mouth hung open slightly. "How exactly can you do that?"

"I can send energy into the walls and use it to create matter that is dense enough to create a sound barrier."

Liz stood up and walked over to one of her walls. "Interesting," she mumbled as she examined the wall. She turned back to him after a moment and grinned. "So what else can you do?"

Max didn't say anything. What he wanted to say was that he could kiss her, but it'd been over four years since he'd seen her. He couldn't just pick up where they'd left off. He didn't even know if she wanted to. He sighed as he relished the feeling of Liz's nearness. His gaze drifted down to Liz's hands that rested on her hips. For the first time he noticed the diamond ring on her left hand. He checked again, hoping he was mistaken. Nope, he wasn't mistaken. She was wearing a ring on her left hand. It could only mean one thing. Liz hadn't waited for him. She was married. He stared at the ring for a moment before he slowly dragged his eyes to meet hers. His throat suddenly felt dry. He swallowed.

"I'm guessing becoming a Mime is one of them?" She asked playfully.

Max cleared his throat. "Sorry, I uh… I just noticed that." Max pointed to the ring.

Liz's face fell. "Oh. Yeah I'd forgotten about that." She held up her hand and inspected the ring as she said softly. "The guy you met this afternoon is my fiancé. His name is Jeremy."

Max nodded and looked out the window. He couldn't bear to look at Liz. "Congratulations." It sounded forced in his ears

"Don't say what you don't mean, Max." Liz said.

Max let out a wry chuckle. "One thing I missed about you is how you always spoke your mind." He took a deep breath. "I should probably go. I'm meeting Isabel and Michael."

"Well if you have to…" Liz swallowed. "Tell Michael and Isabel I can't wait to see them."

Max paused as he started to climb out the window. He looked at her longingly for a moment before saying, "I will." He hoisted himself over the wall and clambered quickly down the stairs without another glance.


	3. Chapter 3: Some things stay the same

**A/N: **Thanks for the reveiws. Glad everyone is enjoying the story. Any critisism is welcome too, so if there's something that puzzles you or you don't think matches, please feel free to inform me. How else am I supposed to get better?

Also I jokingly call this Chapter _Resident Czechoslovakians_

**Chapter 3**

Maria was leaning against the sun warmed bricks of the building across the alley from Liz's bedroom. She knew Max was probably finding out the unpleasant news that Liz was engaged and she wanted to be there for him. She'd been standing there for almost forty-five minutes and was about to give up when she saw him swing himself over the banister and down the fire escape. "Hey," she said when his feet hit the asphalt.

He spun around, surprised. "What are you doing here?" He asked sharply.

Maria shoved herself off the wall and walked over to him. "How was your visit with Liz?" Max didn't say anything; he just shoved his hands in his pockets and looked down the alley towards Main Street. Maria gave him a sympathetic pat on the back. "I'm a little shell shocked myself… Wanna ride?" She asked.

"I've got the Mustang," He replied.

"Wanna talk about it?" Maria asked determinedly. She knew Max had to be unhappy about Liz's engagement.

Max finally looked into her worried face. "Not really, but considering that you're more tenacious than Isabel, I guess I can't use that for my final answer."

"I see you've been watching Millionaire." Maria chuckled, "And you're right. I'm not taking no for an answer. Let's walk to the park." Maria strode out of the alley and gave a satisfied nod when she tossed a look over her shoulder and saw Max following her.

They walked in silence for several blocks. They were almost to the park when Max asked "So how long have they been together?"

"A little less than a year," Maria answered. "She wasn't seeing him when I visited Berkeley."

Max nodded. "You didn't know she was engaged?" He asked morosely.

"Not till this morning." Maria shook her head to get rid of a few strands of hair that had wafted into her face. "It's just so surreal, you know? Liz just shows up with this guy without telling anyone…. It's so unlike her." The pair was silent as they settled themselves on a bench under the indigo sky. Maria sighed. "I don't know why it surprises me. She hasn't been one for telling me much for a long time." She added bitterly.

Max didn't say anything to her. She looked at him. He appeared to be deeply lost in thought. This is really bothering him, she thought as she looked at his furrowed brow. "What did she tell you?" She asked after another moment.

Max stared off into the distance. "I saw the ring and she admitted to being engaged. His name's Jeremy, right?"

"Jeremy Highland. He's from Chicago originally; came to Berkeley so he could study Law and Order." Maria made a few dismissive hand gestures. "As far as I can tell, he's a pretty typical guy." The words tumbled out of her mouth.

"She didn't tell me when the wedding was." Max's voice was a monotone. It took Maria a minute to catch Max's implied question.

"That's because they haven't set a date. Jeremy's heading to DC for work this fall, and Liz isn't sure if she's ready to move back east again. According to him, he wanted to get married over the summer, but she keeps stalling."

Max smiled softly. "Stalling?"

Maria shrugged. "She really hated it back east. I don't blame her for not wanting to go back. Of course I'm assuming that's the real reason…" Maria added archly.

Max cracked a smile. "Thanks Maria."

Maria grinned broadly. "Listen, I was thinking we're gonna have to bring Liz up to speed on everything." Maria gestured grandly. "I thought we could tell everyone Liz is coming to my place for a girl's night then Jeremy won't be there."

Max shrugged. "Okay."

"Okay." Maria patted his shoulder and wondered what he was thinking. The silence was complete. There were no birds, or crickets or children screaming. She scanned the park. It was almost dark and they were the only ones sitting underneath the gas lamplight. "I should go. I've got my last test tomorrow. I haven't studied for it at all, and I'm blaming you guys if I fail…" She said trying to lighten the somber mood.

"I'm gonna stay for a while. Thanks Maria."

Maria pulled Max into a quick hug. "She really is happy you're back." She whispered in his ear. "I'll call you and let you know what I set up with Liz." She said as she began to back away from the park bench. She saw Max nod and then lean back and look at the first star in the sky. "Starlight, star bright…" Maria muttered as she made her way back to the car_. I hope I pass my test tomorrow_…she thought.

The next day, Isabel stood in front of the mirror primping. She waved her hand over her hair and fresh highlights appeared in her long mane. Finally satisfied that she looked perfect, she headed downstairs. "Mom I'm heading to the Crashdown. I'll be back later." She called as she headed out the door. Before she shut it, she added, "I love you!" She heard her mom answer back and then she shut the door and headed to the Mustang. She had just started the engine when there was a tap on her window. Startled, she looked up to see Michael leaning against the side of the car. She rolled down her window and looked expectantly at him.

"I heard you were headed to the Crashdown. Thought I'd catch a ride with you. I'm meeting Maria there in an hour anyway."

Isabel unlocked the passenger side door. "Admit it; you're just as curious as I am to see this guy Liz is engaged to."

Michael slid into the passenger seat and shrugged. "I'm more interested in some Galaxy Fries with Tabasco on them." He replied as Isabel backed out of the driveway and headed towards Main Street.

They were almost to the Crashdown when Isabel said, "I'm worried about Max. He was really upset when he found out Liz was engaged."

"Not like we can do anything about that Izzy," Michael replied. "I sure as hell don't want to tell her she's not allowed to marry this guy. When we left, I knew Maria was going to date other people; besides she and Max weren't even together when we left; he had to know something like this would happen."

Isabel shook her head. "They might not have been together, but before we left he talked with her, and something happened because his attitude towards her completely changed. I know you noticed him talking about Liz for weeks before we came back. He really thought there was a chance she'd be waiting for him." She pulled the car into a parking spot next to the Crashdown and killed the engine. She saw Michael get out, but she remained in the car. Since they'd been back, they'd eaten several times at the restaurant, but today it felt different. She was nervous about seeing Liz again. She had always had a grudging respect for the girl. When she had finally learned their secret, Iz had appreciated her loyalty and friendship. Isabel realized that at the time she had been too blinded by her fear and jealousy of Liz's relationship with her brother to really become close to her. Even now, she couldn't understand just what it was that her brother felt for Liz. She longed for a relationship like that. She hoped that Liz would be happy to see her regardless of her past coldness. She shook herself mentally and noticed that Michael had given up waiting for her. She saw him open the door and enter the café. She pulled herself out of the car and followed Michael inside. The place hadn't changed much since they left. Isabel slid into their old booth across from Michael and looked around. No Liz. After they'd placed their orders, Isabel scanned the room again. "I wonder if she's upstairs…" She said aloud. Michael grunted as the waitress set down their cherry cokes.

A moment later a couple entered the café holding hands and laughing. Isabel looked up. Liz was holding a tall, blonde man's hand as she dramatically limped through the café. She stopped when she recognized Isabel and Michael. "Michael!" She exclaimed as she hobbled over to the table, with the guy in tow.

"Liz." Michael raised his eyebrows and looked squarely at the man standing behind Liz. The man held Michael's eyes steadily.

Isabel took the moment to quickly give the man a once over. It was obvious that this was the Jeremy that Liz was engaged to. She thought his hair was too blonde. He obviously had frosted it. She admitted that his square titanium glasses looked good on his face and his green eyes were nice, but she was rather disappointed. She realized she was expecting something completely out of the ordinary. When Jeremy broke eye contact with Michael, she quickly flicked her eyes back to Liz. She grinned broadly and then stood. After a second's hesitation, Isabel pulled Liz into a hug. "It's good to see you," she told the stunned brunette.

"It's great to see you too Isabel." Liz patted the blonde on the back and pulled away.

Michael continued to glare at Jeremy but had yet to fully greet Liz. The brunette snickered and playfully smacked his arm. "It's good to see you too Michael," She mocked.

Michael blinked and looked up at her. "Uh yeah, it's great to see ya Liz. It's been a long time." He finally replied which caused both Isabel and Liz to grin.

"As you can see, he's still Michael…" Isabel gestured apologetically. Her eyes focused on Jeremy again. "So are you going to introduce me to your fiancé, or am I going to have to do it myself?" She asked as she saw him eyeing her appreciatively. _Men are such pigs_, she thought as she rolled her eyes and focused her attention on Liz.

"Oh I'm sorry honey!" Liz said grasping his hand again. "Jeremy, this is Isabel Evans, and Michael Guerin. Isabel is Max's sister, and Michael is Maria's…" Liz paused obviously unsure of the status of Michael and Maria's infamous on and off again relationship.

"Boyfriend," Michael supplied.

Jeremy smiled. "Nice to meet you both." He held his free hand out to shake both of their hands. Isabel had the urge to wash her hands after she had taken his. Her skin was crawling. She wondered if it was because there was something about Jeremy himself or if it was because of the fact that he was with Liz and not Max.

She smiled brilliantly and tried to squash her thoughts. "Can you join us?" She asked Liz.

"I'd love to, but…" Liz was cut off by Jeremy.

"Go ahead and catch up, I've gotta make some phone calls anyway. We'll head out to the desert later." He wrapped a hand around Liz's waist and pulled her to him before giving her a quick kiss on the cheek.

"Are you sure?" She cooed.

Isabel thought she might be sick. She glanced at Michael, whose mouth was contorted into a grimace. He didn't like the PDA he was seeing either. A moment later the couple disentangled themselves and Liz sat down next to Isabel while Jeremy headed towards the swinging doors that lead to the apartment.

"Congratulations." Isabel forced a smile onto her face. It felt false. "Have you set a date?" She asked hurriedly.

Liz shook her head. "We were thinking about this summer, but we haven't set up any plans yet."

Isabel raised her eyebrows. "You know how long it takes to put a wedding together?"

Liz fiddled with her fingers. "Yeah, we just can't agree on the location, so we keep putting it off," She said softly. She changed the subject quickly. "I'm so happy you guys are back. It's really great to see you both."

Michael raised his eyebrows. "Yeah. Good to see you too." He replied.

Liz grinned. "So I really want to hear everything." She lowered her voice. "Max and I didn't get much of a chance to talk last night. Maybe we can meet somewhere soon?"

Isabel nodded. "We'll figure something out." She pulled a ten dollar bill out of the pocket of her low slung jeans and set it on the table. "I'm supposed to be helping mom this afternoon, but I wanted to at least say hi."

"So you're staying at your parent's house?" Liz asked.

"Unfortunately." Michael slid lower into the booth.

"He just doesn't like having house rules…" Isabel winked.

"Great. So maybe I'll stop by and say hi sometime," Liz said as she glanced at Isabel for approval.

Isabel realized that Liz was obviously as nervous about this meeting as she was. She pulled her long hair off her face and twisted it behind her. "I'd like that." Iz took a deep breath before adding, "and if you figure out what you're doing for the wedding, I'd really like to help."

Liz's eyes widened. "Thanks. I don't know if I'll take you up on that, but….thanks."

Isabel grinned. "Anytime," she replied. "I love a good wedding."

Liz let Isabel out of the booth and the two women stood facing each other. This time Liz initiated the hug. Isabel squeezed tightly. "I'm really glad to see you Liz," she said. "I'm glad that you're doing well." She looked at her earnestly.

Liz smiled lopsidedly. "Thanks Iz. Me too."

Isabel felt like the situation was getting too sappy for her. She shrugged as she headed towards the door. "Bye," she declared at she casually waved before she walked out of the café.

Maria opened the door as Isabel reached it. "Hi Isabel!" She exclaimed.

"Hi." Isabel greeted her enthusiastically. "I'm on my way back to the house, but Michael's waiting for you."

"Thanks…Oh," Maria grabbed Isabel's arm as she began to walk by. "Is Liz in there?"

"Yeah" Isabel replied. "We talked for a few minutes."

"Good," Maria grinned. "I'm doing a 'girls night' this Saturday with Liz. I thought maybe it would be a good time for the three of you to come over and update her on everything that happened." Maria nodded her head willing Isabel to agree.

Isabel laughed. "Alright. I'll tell Max. What time do you want us there?"

Maria shrugged. "How would eight be?"

"Fine, we'll be there." Isabel waved and headed towards the car as Maria entered the Crashdown.

Maria plopped into the seat next to Michael. "Hey Liz. How's the ankle?" She winked conspiratorially.

Liz looked around before she said "its fine, thanks to Max."

"Its good to have a resident Czechoslovakian again isn't it?" Maria grinned and snuggled into Michael's chest.

Liz looked back and forth between the two and smiled quietly. She felt like she'd been taken back four years, sitting in the booth with Maria and Michael. Of course, four years ago, Max would be sitting next to her... She was startled out of her reverie by Maria.

"So I was thinking we need to have everyone meet and catch up on everything. I thought you could tell Jeremy we were having a 'girl's night' on Saturday so he wouldn't be all paranoid about you being with Max and Michael."

Liz frowned. She didn't like having to lie to Jeremy, but she couldn't very well tell him that she was meeting her former boyfriend who had spent the last four years on another planet because he was an alien king. "Uh, yeah let me check and make sure Jeremy hasn't made plans first, but I think I should be able to come."

Maria beamed. "Good, now that we have that settled…" She stood and grabbed Michael's arm. "We have some serious cleaning to do before you can see my apartment."

"Who says WE are going to help clean?" Michael protested.

Maria grinned. "Because some of us can clean things a bit faster than others…" She winked at Liz as she cajoled Michael out the door.


	4. Chapter 4: It Must Be Genetic

**A/N**: Something's off with this chapter. Not sure what... I've spent more time than I ought trying to figure out what it is. Is it too recycled, or is it just boring? I don't know. Anyone who has suggestions, thoughts or whatever...feel free to go ahead and speak!

**Chapter 4**

Max smiled shyly as Amy Valenti invited him and Isabel in. When Amy had invited him to dinner earlier that day, he'd jumped at the chance to see Liz again. Now he wasn't so sure he wanted to. Liz's fiancé would be there also. Too late now, he told himself as he saw a Ford Explorer pull up in front of the house. Max saw Jeremy wrap his arm around Liz's waist and help her as she limped up the walkway. Max smiled. His Liz could definitely still act.

He felt like he'd been punched in the stomach though when he saw her give Jeremy a quick kiss before she rang the bell. He left Isabel talking with Maria and quickly walked into the kitchen where Amy was putting the finishing touches on dinner. "Can I help you with anything?" He asked, wishing he could stay in the room for the rest of the night.

Amy grinned broadly. "Actually I think it's all taken care of, except for the wine… can you open it and ask everyone if they want some?" Amy thrust a bottle of red wine into his hands and returned to check on her pie that was still baking in the oven.

Max looked at the bottle in confusion. He never drank wine. In truth, he'd only had one sip of alcohol in his entire life. He had no clue how to open the bottle. He held it away from him and inspected it. There was a foil wrapping around the opening. He began to pick and peel at it. Once he'd removed it, he discovered a cork. Great, he thought. How am I supposed to get that out? He looked over his shoulder. Amy had her head stuck in the refrigerator. No one else was in the room. Max waved his hand over the bottle and the cork disappeared. He smiled smugly to himself. He took the bottle with him into the living room.

Immediately, his eyes zeroed in on Liz. She was sitting on the leather couch next to Jeremy. Her eyes widened when she saw him. "Does anyone want some wine?" He asked brightly as he held the bottle aloft. There was a moment of silence as he felt everyone's eyes turn towards him. He saw Isabel frown. Liz looked sharply at him. She stood and limped up to him.

"What kind is it?" She asked softly as she took the bottle from his hands. Max shrugged keeping his gaze on the petite woman in front of him. He knew she wasn't inspecting the bottle; she was trying to see if he'd had any of its contents.

"I don't know," He finally replied. "I never drink the stuff."

"Well said," Jeremy replied. "Give me a beer any day."

Max simply smiled and nodded.

"Let me get you a beer then." Jim Valenti answered. He took the wine from Liz's hands and headed back into his kitchen. There was a long silence as everyone thought desperately of something to say. The silence was broken by the appearance of Michael Guerin.

Max had to admit Michael had changed. After greeting Maria, he began to make small talk with Jeremy about the impending hockey season, and even managed to make an otherwise tense looking Liz smile with his commentary on living with Max's parents. Max was still surprised to realize that Michael had finally acquired some social skills.

Max was about to try to join the conversation when Amy announced that dinner was ready. He was uncomfortably pleased to sit next to Liz at the table. As she sat down, her bare arm brushed his shoulder. He could feel the electricity crackle throughout his whole body. God, he'd missed that feeling! He was still savoring memory of the sensation when Jeremy addressed him.

"So Max, I hear you left town to search for your real parents. Were you able to find them?" Jeremy casually took off his glasses and polished them in his shirt. As he returned them to his face, Max thought he saw a hint of curiosity in it. Undoubtedly Jeremy had heard some of the gossip surrounding his, Isabel and Michael's return. The story they fed everyone was that they'd left to find their parents, and Michael had volunteered to go with them.

Max took a quick look at Liz whose face was pale and worried. Without thinking, Max placed his hand on her leg and gave it a reassuring squeeze while he replied. "Isabel and I found them."

"That's great Max, I didn't know you'd found them." Amy interjected as she set a huge bowl of salad on the table.

Max smiled tightly. "That's because they died before we could meet them." He felt a tiny quiver run through Liz's leg as she grabbed her hand in his. She gave it a tight squeeze before she gently removed it from her leg. He was so lost in the feeling that he didn't even notice Amy's upset expression, or Isabel's perturbed one. When he finally looked up, he noticed all eyes were on him. He rubbed his hand wearily across his forehead. Had he completely lost his mind? Liz's fiancé was sitting next to her. Then he realized what he'd just said. "But in the end, I think we both realized that our true parents are the ones that raised us." He added in an apologetic tone.

Max was relieved when conversation quickly turned away from his and Isabel's parentage to the meal that Amy had prepared. He grabbed the bottle of Tabasco sauce from in front of him and began pouring it over his salad. He then passed it to Michael and focused entirely on his food. It was too much to be sitting next to Liz Parker and her fiancé. His appetite was gone, but he forced himself to eat. It seemed that when he finally cleaned his plate, he'd been eating for hours.

He heard a soft chuckle next to him. He turned to see Liz fingering the large empty bottle of Tabasco sauce. It had been full when Jim had thoughtfully placed it on the table before dinner.

"I'd forgotten how much you love your Tabasco," Liz explained sharing a mirthful smile with Maria and Jim, who understood the secret of the three aliens' love of sweet and spicy things. The three grinned at each other knowingly as Max eyed the empty bottle. They hadn't even reached dessert yet, he realized ruefully. Maybe he needed to cut back.

Max shrugged. "Must be genetic, Isabel loves it too."

"Then I guess it must wear off on people since Michael loves it too. I guess I should stay far away from you when eating," Maria joked. Everyone around the table began to laugh besides Jeremy who appeared distinctly unaware of the joke.

"Is there something I'm missing?" Jeremy asked as the laughter died down.

Liz was still chucking softly as she leaned against Jeremy and answered. "When Max and I were dating, I used to be amazed at how much Tabasco sauce one person could eat. That is, until I saw Michael. He's even worse than Max."

Jeremy frowned. "I didn't know you two dated." An uncomfortable silence fell over the room. Max wondered why Liz never told Jeremy about him.

"It was a long time ago," Max replied as he shoved his chair away from the table. He was about to excuse himself from the table when he noticed Liz was nervously fingering a necklace that had previously been concealed underneath her shirt. It had the royal seal of Antar on it. It was the same necklace he'd given her four years ago before leaving earth. He froze. She'd kept it all these years.

"I…uh…" Liz stammered looking first at Jeremy and then back at Max. "I guess it never occurred to me that you two would meet," she finished lamely.

"So it's okay that I make an ass out of myself with one of your old boyfriends?" Jeremy muttered as he stood from the table. Liz stood too.

"Honey, it's really nothing like that. Max and I dated for a while, but we've been friends for a really long time, and I just kind of forgot about the dating thing."

_I'm right here_,_ Liz_, Max thought. He really didn't want to hear her explanation of why she didn't tell Jeremy about him. First of all it was none of his business, and secondly hearing her say essentially that dating him was forgettable was like having someone blast him with an energy bomb. He barely registered Jeremy apologizing. He merely raised his eyebrows and met Michael's gaze. He had to smile when he saw the death glare Michael had trained on Jeremy. He made a slight gesture to indicate that he needed to calm down. Almost imperceptibly, Michael bowed his head in acknowledgement. Sometimes being a king had its benefits Max mused.

The rest of the evening passed uneventfully. Max volunteered to help clean up. When no one was looking, he discreetly absconded the half empty bottle of wine. He was not in the mood to worry about the consequences.

Liz had long ago abandoned her bed in favor of her lawn chair on the balcony. She lay staring at the stars reflecting on the past night. Her heart had started to hammer in her chest the second she saw Isabel in the Valenti's living room and she realized that Max was with her. She'd barely begun to relax when Max had shown up holding a bottle of wine. All she could think of was getting the wine out of Max's hands. The last thing she needed was Max getting drunk and saying or doing who knows what. It was hard enough to process he was back, without having to deal with some weird alien related crisis and how she would explain it to Jeremy.

She groaned audibly as she remembered how hurt Max had looked when she'd glossed over her relationship with him. She couldn't explain to her fiancé that the man sitting on the other side of her had been like air to her when she was younger or that when he left, she'd even thought of killing herself to stop the pain of separation. She knew there was nothing that she could have said would have explained their relationship… it simply defied words. That was something she knew better than to say to Jeremy though. She felt a solitary tear run down her cheek. She didn't bother to wipe it away. It tickled her neck and moistened her tank top as it continued its way down her chest. She was startled out of her thought a moment later when she heard the sound of her car alarm.

She leaned over the edge of her balcony to see what was wrong. She saw a tall figure in the dim light from the moon. She glanced at her watch. It was almost 1 am. Who on earth was down there, she wondered. Then she saw the parking meter next to the Explorer burst into flames, and she knew. It was Max. She looked furtively into her bedroom. Jeremy was still sleeping. She grinned fondly at him before she swung her leg onto the fire escape and made her way down the metal ladder. She hadn't even realized she was barefoot until her feet touched the blacktop. "Oh well," she muttered. She wasn't about to climb back up just to put on shoes. What if someone else had heard the car alarm and saw Max standing there?

She moved quickly down the alleyway. When she reached the car, Max was nowhere to be seen. "Great," she grumbled as she inspected the car. As she neared the driver's side door, the alarm suddenly stopped. Liz swung her head around and saw Max standing across the street grinning drunkenly. A moment later, she was bathed in the flashing lights of the Crashdown's sign. "Max!" She called.

He ambled across the street. "Hi Liz," he said as he stopped directly in front of her. He was so close she could feel his body heat radiating from him. She could also smell the wine on his breath.

"You're drunk." She stated.

"I wanted to see what the wine tasted like," he replied.

Liz took a deep breath and tried to figure out what to do. "I need you to turn off the sign," she finally said. A moment later, they were standing in the darkness with only the faint light of the moon and the stars shining on them. "Okay… Listen Max, you have to go home and get sober," she said when Max didn't move. She felt like his dark eyes were burning into hers. At that moment he was 100 percent the king and she felt distinctly uneasy. She blinked, and then she realized just who she was dealing with. It was Max; one of the gentlest men she'd ever known.

"Please, Max." She pleaded, "Please go home and have Isabel look at you. I have no idea what to do for you."

Max sighed and nodded. "I'll see you later," he mumbled as he headed down the street towards his home.

Liz stood and watched his somber figure stagger down the road. She folded her arms across her chest against the sudden chill that tickled her spine. She didn't climb back to her balcony until Max was completely out of sight. As she came through her window, she checked on Jeremy. He was still asleep. When she finally lay down beside him, troubled thoughts swirled in her head.


	5. Chapter 5: The Wedding Nazi

**A/N:** Thanks for the reveiws.Reveiws ARE the best way to convince me to continue to post quickly, so let me know what you think, good and bad. I was orginally planning on just doing a quick recap of all that happened on Antar, but I felt there was something else that needed to resolved first. With that in mind, here's the next chapter.

**Chapter 5**

Two nights later, Liz slung a backpack over her shoulder and headed downstairs. "Its just one night sweetie," she pouted. "I really want to catch up with Maria, and you would be bored to tears anyways. I promise we'll do something just the two of us tomorrow." She set her pack on the floor next to the stairway.

Jeremy leaned against the row of employee lockers and grinned. "So do I have a choice about what we do?" He asked.

"Sure." Liz smiled before she drew him to her and kissed him softly.

"Lets…look…for … a… place… to…get…married," Jeremy said between kisses.

Liz pulled away and looked at him intently. "Did you just say you want to get married here?"

He grinned and nodded. "What better place to marry you than your hometown?"

"What about Washington? Aren't you due there in August?" Liz asked.

"We could get married a few weeks before I'm supposed to be there. We can stay in Roswell while you plan the wedding, and afterwards we'll still have some time for a decent honeymoon."

Liz felt a smile begin to tug at her lips. She'd always dreamed of being married in her hometown. "Alright," she said simply.

Jeremy grabbed her and swung her around the tiny break room. When her foot slammed against the locker he stopped. "I'm sorry. Did that hit your ankle?" He asked as he helped her over to the couch.

Liz blinked back a few tears. "It's fine."

"You're not wearing your bandage," he said as he lifted her jeans and inspected her leg.

"It's feeling so much better; I didn't think I needed it," she explained quickly.

Jeremy rubbed his hand over her ankle. "It does look better. Are you sure it doesn't hurt?"

Liz shook her head and smiled. "Not at all." She leaned forward and kissed him again. When they came up for air a minute later, she rested her forehead on his. "So do you have a date for the wedding in mind? I'm going to have to ask Maria and Isabel if they want to be in it tonight."

Jeremy grinned. "Sure do. I was thinking July 31st."

"Okay." Liz giggled. "July 31st it is." She gave him another quick peck and then grabbed her pack and headed through the swinging door into the Crashdown. She spotted Maria as she pulled her Jetta into a parking spot. As she opened the door, a realization hit her. She was getting married in less than two months and would be moving to Washington DC. What was she going to tell Max? Her step faltered momentarily. She shook her head to clear her mind of the unpleasant thought as Maria gave her a hug and began to babble about how much fun it would be to do an old fashioned girls' night.

"Maria," Liz finally interrupted once they were on the way to Maria's apartment. Maria glanced questioningly at Liz before turning her attention back at the road. "I'm getting married." Liz took a deep breath. "In July… would you be my Maid of Honor?" Liz shut her eyes tightly as the car swerved violently. She should have known not to ask Maria while she was driving, but she couldn't help herself.

"You set a date!" Maria asked, her volume creeping louder.

"Yes. We're getting married on the 31st. Will you be my Maid of Honor?" Liz repeated her question.

"Of course!" Maria yelled as she took one hand from the steering wheel and hugged Liz.

"Maria, can we wait until you finish driving to do this?" Liz squawked as an oncoming car blasted its horn at them.

"Yeah, sorry babe," Maria said as she returned her full attention to the road. Liz couldn't help but notice the huge grin plastered on her friend's face.

"So is it just going to be me?" Maria asked a few moments later.

Liz smiled. "I was thinking of asking Isabel also."

Maria pulled her car underneath the car port. "I think that's a great idea. You should hire her to plan the whole thing. Remember how she used to do Christmas?"

Liz laughed remembering how anal Isabel was about having the perfect Christmas. "I don't think we want her morphing into the Wedding Nazi," she replied. "I was thinking more along the lines of bridesmaid," she added as the climbed the stairs to Maria's apartment.

Maria chuckled as she unlocked to the door. She heard Liz gasp behind her. "Oh Maria this is so perfect for you!" She exclaimed as they stepped into the small apartment.

"Wait until you see the bedroom." Maria grabbed her friend's hand and tugged her down the short hallway. "Bathroom," she gestured to the right as she went through a door on the left. "Voila!" she exclaimed and she threw herself on her queen bed that took up most of the room. It was full of silk pillows. As she fell, she tangled herself in the netted canopy that slid over the top section of her bed. When she extricated herself she saw that Liz was chuckling.

"I love it!" She exclaimed as she sat on the bed next to Maria and bounced up and down.

"Wait until you see this!" Maria squealed as she maneuvered her way though the tight space and grabbed a large, ornately carved wooden box. "I'm finally starting to get organized." She explained as she opened the lid and showed Liz almost a hundred aromatherapy vials neatly labeled by scent.

Liz grinned as she looked at the labels. "So where's the cedar oil?"

"Liz, given all that's happened, did you really think I'd leave it at home?" The blonde pulled a vial out of her macramé purse.

Liz rolled her eyes. "What was I thinking?"

Maria grinned. "So I told everyone to come around eight so we'd have a chance to talk." She settled herself back on the bed. The sent of Lavender filled the room as she opened one of her vials and set it on the nightstand.

Liz nodded. "Great. I was hoping we could talk about the wedding before everyone got here."

"You mean before Max got here…"

Liz looked at her friend uncomfortably. "How am I going to tell him?"

Maria smiled sadly. "You tell him you found someone who makes you happy. That's what he's always wanted: for you to be happy"

"Somehow I doubt it'll be that easy." Liz sighed. "I'm sure he and Tess kept things going back on Antar anyway." She rationalized. "It shouldn't matter that I'm getting on with my life." Her tone was sour.

Maria sucked in a breath. She knew it wasn't her place to tell Liz about what happened with Tess, but she didn't want her friend imagining things that didn't happen. "Uh yeah about Tess…" Maria was interrupted by a firm knock on the front door. She looked at the clock. "They're not supposed to be here for another hour," she grumbled as she got off the bed and went to answer the door.

Isabel was standing on the other side holding white daisies. "I thought I'd come by early and help." She grinned as she stepped inside and handed Maria the flowers.

"Thanks, but we're all good."

"We? Don't tell me I just walked in on another Make-Out session." Isabel whined as she looked around for Michael.

The two heard Liz laugh from the other side of the living room. "I love Maria, but she's not really my type." Liz said as she leaned against the doorjamb.

Isabel laughed. "Hey Liz," she crossed the room and gave her a big hug.

Maria shut the door and studied Isabel. "Hey Iz, did you cut your hair or something?"

Isabel shrugged. "I was bored, so…" she waved her hand and her hair that had been a long bob became its usual long flowing tresses. Isabel waved it again and it went back to its' shorter version. "What do you think?"

Maria grinned. "I think I need you to be my hair stylist."

"I like it." Liz said while circling Isabel. "It's very sophisticated."

Isabel grinned. "That's exactly what I was going for."

Maria walked into the small kitchen and grabbed a green vase from underneath the sink to put the daisies in. "So are the boys on their way?"

"Not yet." Isabel answered. "I told them since it was supposed to be girls' night; we had to have at least an hour of no men."

Maria set the vase on the bar that separated the kitchen from her dining nook. "Good, because I just realized I need to get something from the store." Maria grinned and shot a meaningful glance at Liz.

"I'm in so much trouble." Maria heard Liz mutter as she headed towards the bedroom.

"Did I miss something?" Isabel asked looking back and forth between her two friends.

"I'll let Liz tell you while I go grab my purse," Maria said hurriedly as she left the room. She grinned a moment later when she heard Isabel give an excited shout. "So shall we go get some magazines?" Maria asked when she reentered the room.

"Oh boy, do we have a lot to do…" Maria could see Isabel mentally making a checklist while she muttered to herself.

Maria and Liz obediently followed Isabel out the door. _Wedding Nazi,_ Maria mouthed to Liz who tried not to laugh as the trio reached the car.


	6. Chapter 6: So Close, yet So Far

**A/N: **I figured since this was already written there was no sense in keeping everyone (lurkers and reveiwers alike) in suspence. Here's the answer to ONE of the many questions that's been asked. What happened on Antar? Reveiw if this chapter makes you happy or makes you wanna throw something at the computer... at least I know my writing's good enough to illicit some response!

**Chapter 6**

Michael and Max were standing by the front door looking puzzled and worried when the girls returned, arms laden with paper bags containing every bridal magazine Isabel could find. Michael frowned. "I thought you were supposed to be yakking it up and painting your toenails or something not out grocery shopping." He said as Maria balanced a paper bag on her hip and reached for her key. Before she could insert it into the lock, Michael put his hand in front of the door. Everyone noticed the faint glow and the click of the lock before he swung the door open and ushered them inside.

"That's disturbing." Liz whispered to Maria as they passed Michael.

"Tell me about it," muttered Maria.

Max was the last to enter the apartment. He closed the door behind him and leaned against it. Isabel and Maria had dumped their bags on the coffee table. It was obvious that whatever they contained it was heavy. The thudding sound as they hit the table filled the apartment. "So what's in there?" He asked as he moved into the living room to look inside the bags.

"Bridal Magazines," Isabel answered. Max's eyes met his sister's. "Liz and Jeremy set a date." She explained. Max could see the worry and concern lining her eyes. He felt as if someone had just delivered a swift blow to his gut.

"Wow, that's great Liz." He said halfheartedly_. Maybe this wasn't such a good night to reveal everything,_ he mused. Heck it was hard just to be in the same room with her; especially since the other night at the Valenti's and after... His eyes followed Liz's figure as she turned to face him. This definitely wasn't a good night. He decided when he heard her telling them about how they'd decided on the date. He slid into Maria's recliner and watched the tableau in front of him hoping he appeared impassive.

A half an hour later there was a lull in the conversation, and all eyes turned towards Max. He looked up from his brooding and realized that the reckoning had come. For the first time all evening, Liz made direct eye contact with him. "Tell me what happened." She said steadily.

Max sighed. "Where should I begin?"

"At the beginning," Liz said softly.

Max shut his eyes and wondered how to begin. It'd been four long, agonizing years since they left earth, and even though he remembered them clearly he wasn't sure he wanted to delve into them; especially not with Liz. How could he explain in mere words what had happened? Words were inadequate. He'd have to show her.

Max opened his eyes. Liz was still watching him intently. It was as if the whole world had disappeared in her presence. Suddenly, a hologram appeared between them. The universe was passing by them. Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, Neptune, Pluto quickly passed and gave way to even more incredible stars and planets, and finally the scene zeroed in on an orange looking planet. Through the haze that surrounded the planet, land masses were evident. Max heard Liz gasp. "Is that Antar?" He couldn't answer; he had to keep the hologram in place.

"Yes." He heard Isabel whisper. He glanced briefly at her. She had a look of amazement on her face. Apparently she hadn't realized he was capable of holding a projection for so long. He'd learned it was to his advantage to make people believe he was less powerful than he really was. It was a protection, for him and the others. He gave her a small smile before he turned his attention back to the projection.

_Everyone saw them land in a green field that was covered by a reddish orange sky. The clouds left the two suns looking like bright florescent bulbs. First Tess, then Max, and finally Isabel and Michael exited the granolith. Tess swung around taking in the surroundings. "Where is everyone?" She wondered out loud. _

_Max took the small blonde's hand. "Let's just get an idea of where we are, before we start looking for other people. Kivar could still be ruling here," he cautioned. Michael and Isabel were still standing silently looking around when they heard it._

_It was a loud shrill beep. It appeared to be coming from the granolith. The three looked at each other in surprise. They'd all read the book enough times to memorize it, but it had never said anything about this. "Get back in." Max ordered as he grabbed Tess and ushered her into the ship. Once she was inside, he motioned for Isabel to do the same. _

_She looked around widely. "It's Kivar," she whispered. Max didn't hear her over the screaming of the granolith. He simply grabbed her arm and shoved her back into the ship. Once they were inside, the sound died to a dull ache. _

"_What the hell is that?" Michael demanded as he started investigating the smooth surface of the ship. _

"_More importantly, how do we shut it off?" Max asked Tess as he joined Michael in inspecting the ship's interior for anything that might shut the noise off. _

_Tess joined them, gingerly holding a hand over her stomach. "I don't know, but I think it might be some kind of homing device."_

"_Great." Michael muttered. "Let's get the Hell away from here," he suggested._

"_It's too late." Isabel exclaimed. "Kivar is here, I can feel him."_

"_Oh God," Max breathed. He looked at Tess. "I'm so sorry." He murmured to her as he slid an arm around her waist. _

"_It's alright, Max." Tess said almost serenely. "It'll be okay, I know it will."_

"_Do I have to remind you that Kivar has already killed us once?" Michael exploded. "I don't think he's here as part of the welcoming committee."_

_Tess remained silent but held on tighter to Max. Max gently slid out of her embrace. "Isabel, can you tell how far he is away?" He asked as he surveyed his sister's pale face._

"_I don't know. I think he's close though." She replied. Suddenly Isabel let out a scream and crumpled to the ground._

"_Iz!" Michael and Max both yelled as they rushed to her side. Max quickly tried to connect with her. "Iz look at me."_

"_No. Max." Isabel whispered before her body went completely limp._

Suddenly the projection faded. Isabel was standing next to Max with her hand on his shoulder. "They don't need to see this," she said quietly to Max. He looked up at her.

"Yes they do," he said softly before he returned his concentration to projecting the image. He needed Liz to see how much he'd paid for his bad decision. He needed her to know that he suffered everyday that he was away from her. He felt Isabel's hand tighten on his shoulder.

"No, they don't Max," she said firmly. He looked into her eyes. He could see the pain reflecting in them. Her pain was his as well; but he couldn't stop himself. The projection reappeared.

_Isabel lay motionless on the floor in front of Max and Michael. Her blue eyes remained wide open but unseeing. Tess stood laconically behind them watching. After a few moments Isabel blinked. "Get out of here now." She told Max who was holding her tightly. _

"_Not without you." He told her as he tried to help her to her feet._

"_There's no time, Max. They're after you. You have to leave now. Michael and I can take care of ourselves." Isabel pleaded. "He's almost here. Take Tess and go!" She yelled._

_Max looked around bewildered. "I can't leave you." His quiet voice wavered._

_Isabel closed her eyes tightly. "I can handle Kivar. Go. You got us into this mess, and if you stay, it'll just make it worse." She shoved him away as she stood. _

_Max's face showed his conflict as he locked eyes with Michael. "Take care of her." He said as he grabbed Tess' hand and fled…_

Isabel stood watching transfixed as Max's projection showed him and Tess scrambling up the mountainside. Max's reticence on the subject had made it impossible for them to find out how Max was caught. All she knew is that Tess was somehow involved. She watched closely as she saw the pair pause at the visa, intent on learning just what had happened to her brother.

_Max paused as he looked around, trying to figure out where to go. His eyes drifted below him. There was a beautiful lake surrounded by vegetation and huge waterfall that cascaded down a rock face. On the other side of the lake there was a huge rock that jutted out over the water. It somehow seemed familiar to him. That feeling of familiarity triggered the flash._

_**FLASH**_

**_Max and Tess are skinny dipping in the lake, laughing and smiling. When they finally emerge from the water and dress, Max grabs Tess to him and kisses her deeply before dropping to one knee. "Marry me for my crown, but love me as a man." He says as he presents her with a shimmering ring that almost looks as if it's made of light itself. Tess giggles as she takes the ring from Max's hand and then bends to kiss him. "I'd marry you without the crown," she answers._**

_Max shook his head as the flash faded and he reached for Tess' hand. She wasn't there. He couldn't see her any where. He quickly surveyed his surroundings. Everything was still and silent with no signs of life. "Tess!" he cried as his eyes swept frantically back and forth. There was no answer._

_He scrambled down the steep incline towards the lake. He continued to call Tess' name as he frantically searched for her. He stumbled, but kept going until he was finally amongst the foliage. He paused, trying to figure out what to do in the limited shelter that the trees and shrubs provided... Generally, he could tell where Michael, Isabel and Tess were in relation to him, but as he tried to get a sense of any of them he only felt emptiness. He looked back to the top of the hill where he'd last seen Tess. She was standing there again…with another man. Something told him this man was Kivar. _

_Max stood and watched them. He frowned deeply as he tried to figure out how to rescue Tess from Kivar, when he saw something that made his blood run cold. Tess was holding Kivar's hand. She closed her eyes tightly, and suddenly, Max could see her standing right by his side. He knew it was a mind warp, but he couldn't help but respond. "Are you alright?" He asked in a concerned voice._

"_I'm fine Max." Tess' image replied. A moment later, Max was assaulted from behind. _

Isabel could feel Max's fear and anger as the projection that Max had been holding faded. "That's when I discovered that Tess was a traitor," Max said softly as she quickly crossed the room and hugged him tightly.

Liz felt her stomach churn as she watched the hologram disappear. She was filled with a strange mixture of relief and anger over what she had just seen. She was relieved that Max finally knew what Tess was, but she was hurt that he had to endure her betrayal first hand. It was obvious to her that Tess' betrayal had deeply affected all of them. She watched silently as Isabel fussed over her brother, who looked spent. The amount of energy it must have taken him to sustain the hologram was substantial she surmised as she looked into his weary eyes.

"How did you escape?" Liz asked several moments later. She had to know everything. There was no turning back now.

"I didn't," Max replied. "I was taken prisoner and sent my own dungeon." Liz saw his eyebrows knit together as if he was trying to make a decision.

Liz looked at Maria, who was sitting near her. Maria twisted a long blonde strand of hair around her finger as she their eyes met. "You've heard this already?" Liz asked softly as she glanced quickly back and Isabel and Max.

"Some," Maria admitted. "I hadn't seen the visuals though."

Liz felt the awkward silence press against her. It was surreal, like something out of the Twilight Zone. Her mind was practically buzzing from the questions she wanted to ask, and apologizes she wanted to give. If only she'd gotten there sooner… She quickly shoved the thought away. The what-if game that she'd played for the last four years didn't help anyone, including herself. She began to sort out what she wanted to say next when Michael broke the silence.

"That was some show Maxwell. Why didn't you tell us you could do that?"

"It never came up." Max muttered.

Michael began to say something, but Maria cut him off. "Kivar's people found Isabel and Michael too, and took them to the city."

Michael frowned in displeasure. "I was saying something." He told Maria.

She simply shrugged. "And if you guys get sidetracked we'll never get though the whole story tonight. I'm just helping the story along…" She answered icily.

"Well don't, it's not your story." Michael huffed as he turned back to Isabel and Max. "You better finish this before she tells the whole thing."

Liz smiled apologetically at Maria and then focused her attention on Isabel as she began to explain how they were captured. "…After they had captured us they took us to Arania which is the huge capital city. I think it's even bigger than New York," Isabel explained. "They waited until nightfall to bring us into the city. As we neared the castle, several of the guards were killed in a surprise attack. Four of the guards grabbed us and pulled us away from the fighting. We'd pretty much expected them to kill us then and there, but instead we were taken to someone's home."

"Why would they do that?" Liz asked. It didn't make sense that Kivar's soldiers would just welcome the reincarnated royal family into their homes.

"Because they were spies working with the resistance movement," Michael explained. "They'd infiltrated his organization, and when they figured out who we were, they blew their cover to save us."

Isabel left her brother's side and resumed her seat next to Liz. "One of the soldiers was a friend of Larek's; the alien Max met at the summit in New York. He knew we didn't remember anything about our past lives, so he had arranged for some of the resistance members to help us work on our powers so that we could save Max."

Liz leaned back into the voluminous pillows on the couch and let her breath out slowly. "So they helped you break Max out?"

A smile tugged on Isabel's mouth. "It wasn't as simple as it sounds, but yeah, that's what we did."

"What about Tess? What happened to her?" Liz demanded to know. She hadn't meant to ask, it had just slipped out. Max had survived the ordeal, but she was hoping that since Tess wasn't with them, just maybe she hadn't. The gnawing pain she'd carried around in her heart wouldn't rest until she knew what happened to the blonde she hated as she never believed she would be able to hate anyone. So she didn't recant her question, even though the look she saw on Maria's face told her maybe she should.

Max looked up at her when he heard the sharpness in her voice. He rubbed his temples as he said flatly "She's dead. Kivar killed her. Apparently Nasedo had made a deal that should have ensured her safety and that of our son if she could deliver us to him. He decided once the baby was born that he didn't need her anymore and he betrayed her…"

Liz nodded slightly but didn't say anything. She knew anything she wanted to say at this moment wouldn't be appreciated, and would undoubtedly hurt her friends. Plus it was obvious none of them knew that Tess was Alex's murderer. She swallowed with difficulty and then forced herself to ask the question she didn't really want to know the answer to. "What about your son?"

Max tensed at Liz's question. He knew exactly what she was thinking because he was thinking the same thing. His son was the reason he'd left earth, and Liz. She wanted to know if it'd been worth it. Max wasn't sure if it was. He shook his slowly. "He didn't survive."

"I'm sorry." Liz whispered.

Liz looked silently at Max. She knew his heart must be broken, but he continued to be strong for everyone else. Liz felt tears welling in her own eyes as she thought of how much the three had gone through. She saw Max lean back into the recliner frowning slightly. It was quiet for several minutes. Liz knew there was something more to the story that everyone was saying, but somehow she felt that she had no business knowing what it was. She scooted closer to Isabel and took her hand. Isabel squeezed her hand appreciatively and smiled slightly. Liz was hit with the realization that her friend had changed and the cold façade that she had held in place for so long had vanished.

It was almost three in the morning by the time Liz heard the rest of the story. She felt like laughing and crying at the same time. She was terrified by how much danger her friends had faced since they left, and she felt guilty that she had gone about her life unknowing, and unable to help. She was even more amazed that Max had given up his throne to return to Earth…. To 'return home' he'd said. Her eyes rested on Maria and Michael who were huddled on the loveseat together. Maria was clutching his hands in hers. _Perhaps_ _something good can come of all this_. Liz thought as she looked at her friend. She hadn't seen Maria look so peaceful in years. Her eyes drifted to Isabel who was hugging a pillow to her chest, and finally she looked at Max. He was looking at her with an expression she'd never seen. She almost thought it looked like resignation.

"We should probably go," Max said to Michael, breaking his gaze on Liz.

Maria looked at her watch and then at the two men as they stood. "You know, you guys are welcome to crash here tonight, I mean, it's pretty late." Michael looked at Maria and a smile tugged at his lips.

"We've already intruded enough, thanks though," Max said as he took a quick glance at Liz.

"It's fine, really." Maria said as she made an encouraging face at Liz.

Liz nodded, "Please stay. I mean, we're all exhausted and it's been a tough night."

Max nodded imperceptibly, and heaved himself back into the recliner. Maria grinned and walked over to the pile of blankets and a couple of pillows she had yet to put away from the last sleepover several weeks before. She took the top blanket and tossed it at Max, and then handed a chenille throw to Isabel. Isabel smiled and stretched. Liz got off the couch and headed towards the bathroom. "I'll take the floor," she said over her shoulders as Maria and Michael stood staring awkwardly at each other.

Max immediately got out of the recliner. "I'll take it Liz." He tossed a pillow on the floor.

Liz opened her mouth to protest, but saw his determined look and nodded. "Thanks," she said quietly before slipping into the bathroom. She locked the door behind her and stared at her reflection in the mirror for several minutes. It was going to take a while to digest everything she'd been told tonight. One thing she was sure of, she'd have to figure out a way to be friends with Max. They couldn't both be on this planet and not at least be friends. Of course, it wouldn't be easy. She had seen how Jeremy looked at Max over dinner and knew he was jealous. Long ago and far away, Kyle had felt the same way she remembered. Of course she never loved Kyle as she loved Jeremy, but still…. She sighed and splashed some water on her face before returning to the living room. Maria and Michael where nowhere to be seen, so she figured they were in the bedroom. Max appeared to already be asleep, and Isabel was lying on her side, eyes wide open.

"You okay?" Isabel asked.

"Yeah," Liz smiled. "It's just a lot to process."

"Tell me about it." Isabel rolled onto her back. "Now that I'm back, sometimes I wonder if it really happened."

"I'll bet." Liz smothered a huge yawn. She grabbed the last blanket from the floor and settled into the recliner. "Goodnight Iz." She said as she tucked the blanket over her shoulders.

"Night, Liz."

Max heard them say their goodnights saw the light turn off. He sighed and rolled onto his back. He could barely see Liz curled up in the recliner through the light filtering from the street, her eyes were closed. A strand of dark hair fell over her face and her hand clutched the necklace that hung around her neck. He missed her. He couldn't believe he was back, only to find her engaged to another man. Didn't she know he would come back for her? Why didn't she wait for him? He sighed and for the millionth time he remembered the day they left, and cursed himself for leaving.


	7. Chapter 7: Boyfriends, Past and Present

**A/N: Thanks to all my reveiwers! You've been asking some tough questions, and making me evaluate just what I'm writing! Thanks for keeping me honest to the show. This chapter's for you!**

**Also, based on someone's advice (you know who you are...) I'm editing the preceeding chapters (chapters 1 and 2 are done) to rectify a flaw in my writing of Liz's character. Hopefully the changes, though minor will help fix SOME of what was off in my writing. :-) I know there's still a huge amount of room for improvement!**

**Anyways enjoy the chapter. Hopefully you don't hate it, if you do, you know what to do: reveiw!**

**Chapter 7**

The sun had barely risen when Liz woke up. Her neck was stiff from sleeping in a recliner all night. She opened her eyes and massaged her neck. Her eyes fell on Max's sleeping figure, and then Isabel's. She knew she wouldn't be able to go back to sleep, so she quietly grabbed her keys off the table and slipped out the door. She'd call Maria later.

A half hour later she was standing in front of Alex Whitman's grave. She sighed and sat down next the marble marker. She hadn't been near the place since the funeral. She had been so angry that everyone believed that Alex had killed himself. She'd focused on her cause to clear his name so that she wouldn't have to deal with the loss of her friend. She reached out and ran her hand over the smooth surface of his gravestone. "It's over," she finally managed to whisper. "Tess is dead. Of course, so is Zan." She felt tears form in her eyes and then spill softly over her face. "I'm so sorry I couldn't protect you. It's my fault. She would have left and you would still be here if I hadn't…." She couldn't bear to finish the sentence because it sounded so stupid: 'if I hadn't saved the world by pretending to sleep with Kyle.' She smiled bitterly. "I really thought I was protecting us all." She shook her head as more tears came. She sat silent for a few moments, and then felt a hand on her shoulder. She turned to see Isabel standing over her.

"What do you mean it's your fault? Did you find out who killed him?"

Liz opened her mouth to say something, but nothing came out. She had often imagined telling her friends about Tess' betrayal, but now she hardly knew where to begin. Learning how Tess had tortured Max on Antar was enough to make Liz sick. It almost made Alex's murder seem tame. Liz shut her mouth after a moment as she traced her fingers across Alex's name. She wanted Isabel to understand what Alex must have endured. Liz tried not to dwell on it, but she'd had 4 years to completely understand the implications of it all… But was it really worth causing more pain?

Isabel sat down. "What did you find out Liz?"

Liz took a deep breath. They deserved to know the truth, she realized. "Tess," Liz said firmly. "Tess killed Alex." As she said it, she realized what she said wasn't nearly enough. "She murdered him," she added quietly.

"What!" Isabel's eyes widened. "How do you know? Why would she do that?"

Liz took a deep breath. "Tess mindwarped Alex and sent him to Las Cruces to decode your book. He never went to Sweden. Tess kept him there the whole time." Liz took a deep breath. "When he broke out of the mind warp, Tess killed him to keep him from telling us."

"How did you find out?"

"Cause Kyle saw her do it."

"But… Why didn't he say anything?"

"Tess mind warped him too." Liz looked at the granite gravestone and continued to trace her fingers over Alex's name.

Isabel was silent. "When did you find out?" She asked after a several moments.

"The day you left. We tried to catch you, but we couldn't get into the cave." Liz's voice caught, and Isabel could see more tears glistening in her dark eyes.

"Oh my god," Isabel whispered as she pulled the brunette into a gentle hug. "I'm so sorry. I'm so sorry." She felt her own eyes fill with tears at the thought of Alex dying at the hands of the traitor Tess. The two girls held each other for a long time. When they finally parted, Isabel remembered what Liz had been saying when she walked up. "How is any of this your fault?" She asked.

Liz looked at Isabel and wondered what to say. The idea of a future Max coming back to ask her to save the world was no more ludicrous than anything she had heard last night, she reasoned. Besides, she'd lived with the guilt of not being able to tell Max the whole truth for too long.

"Liz?" Isabel asked concerned. She could see the struggle in the other girl's eyes. "What happened?"

"I made Tess stay…"

Two hours later, both girls were crying on each other shoulders. "I can't believe you did that… for us!"

"I didn't exactly have a choice, Isabel."

"I know." Isabel drew away. "Does Max know anything?"

"The night before you left, he found out I didn't sleep with Kyle, but I never told him why. At the time, I thought there was no point. Tess was pregnant and you were leaving; whatever happened in that other timeline was never going to happen. I didn't know she was a murderer at the time…"

"God," Isabel sighed. "Are you going to tell Max?"

"Yes." Liz looked directly at Isabel. "I've lied to everyone for too long, don't you think?"

Isabel cocked her head to one side. "True. I don't know if it would make things any better though."

"How could the truth make anything worse?"

"There's something we didn't tell you last night. How much did Max ever talk to you about the White Room?"

Liz recalled the one flash she had of Max's experience. They'd just declared their love for each other. He was scared and in pain, and the flash had terrified her to the core. She'd never had a chance to talk to him about it afterwards… "I know a little, enough to know how horrible it was."

Isabel stared out across the silent, grassy knoll. "What Peirce did to him was nothing in comparison to what Kivar did." She finally brought her gaze back to Liz. "Max doesn't know, but I've dreamwalked him a lot, trying to make sure he's okay. He may seem okay, but he's barely hanging on Liz. I don't know what he'd do if he knew about what you'd been through too. He already feels guilty for leaving."

"So you want me to keep this to myself?"

Isabel nodded, "would you, for Max's sake?"

Liz bit her lip. She didn't like the idea of continuing the deception, but she wouldn't do anything that might hurt Max more. "I'm surprised Maria didn't tell him already."

Isabel shrugged. "Maria's been occupied with Michael and school. Do you think you could ask her not to say anything?"

Liz stood and walked a few feet from the gravesite. It was all too much. Visiting Alex was hard enough. Now, Isabel was asking her not only to keep a secret she loathed, but to keep Maria from saying anything as well. She turned around and nodded. "Okay, I'll try."

Isabel smiled as she stood. "Thank you, for everything."

"What else can I do?" Liz shrugged helplessly.

"…Well since you asked, we could get breakfast," Isabel arched her brow. "I'm starving."

Liz shook her head. "Crashdown burrito sound good?" Isabel grinned as they both started walking back to their cars.

After Isabel had left the Crashdown, Liz continued to sit at the booth considering everything that she'd learned in the last 24 hours. Jeremy walked up behind her and whispered "hi beautiful" as he sat next to her. She jumped slightly and flushed, realizing she'd lost track of both time and where she was.

"Hey handsome," she replied as she turned to give him a quick kiss.

"I missed you last night. Did you have fun with the girls?"

"Yeah, we talked pretty much all night. It was really nice." She replied, rationalizing that she wasn't really lying to him, just not telling him the whole truth. As if determined to bother her conscience, Michael entered the café. He nodded to Jeremy and sent what looked like a grimace at Liz. _Some things never change,_ she thought as she watched him slouch into a booth near the door.

Jeremy slid his arm around her waist and pulled her to him. "So I was thinking," he murmured with his face in her hair. "Since we'll be here all summer and then moving to DC, I thought I'd head home for a few days and start packing things up at the apartment."

Liz looked at him surprised. "Oh! I guess I hadn't thought much about that. Do you want me to come with you?"

He shook his head. "Nah, you have plenty of planning to do here, with the wedding and everything. I'll only be gone ten days."

"Ten days?" Liz raised her eyebrows.

"I figured I'd drive the Cherokee back out so we wouldn't need the rental."

Liz smiled at how pragmatic he was being. It was one of the things she appreciated about him. "That's a great idea. So when were you thinking of flying back?" She snuggled closer, feeling lonely already.

"Probably Thursday, do you think you could give me a ride?"

"Absolutely. Isabel and I were talking of heading into the Santa Fe to look at dresses anyways, so this would work out perfect."

"Good, then I'll call the airlines and have them switch the ticket." He gave her a quick squeeze before nudging her out of the booth. She smiled up at him when he stood and gave him a peck on the cheek.

"Sounds good. I should be able to get a lot done while you're gone." She said as he started to walk towards the back. He smiled and nodded before going through the swinging door. She sat back down in the booth and began tracing stars with her fingers on the table when she heard someone clear their throat next to her. She raised her eyes to see Michael standing in front of her. "Hi," she said.

"Hi," he said before sitting down in front of her.

"Make yourself comfortable," Liz joked.

He smirked as he asked, "where'd you disappear to this morning?"

Liz shook her head and smiled. "Same old Michael..." When he looked at her blankly, she sighed. "I went to see Alex."

He nodded, "Maria did the same thing the day after we arrived. Something you need to tell him?"

"I guess I just needed to make peace with it, I mean, I didn't exactly deal with everything when you left."

"I don't know, it looked like you dealt with it just fine," he replied, looking pointedly towards the door that Jeremy had left through.

"Jeremy was something that just happened Michael not something I planned."

Michael simply cocked an eyebrow to indicate that he doubted what she said.

"What are you doing here anyway?" She asked, slightly annoyed.

"We're meeting everyone here," Michael said as he tried to get the waitress's attention to order.

"We?"

"Yeah, I guess Kyle just dropped into town like you did, and Maria told us to meet him here."

"Kyle's back in town?" Liz wondered if it could get any worse. She was going to have to introduce Jeremy to yet another ex-boyfriend and could only imagine what kind of sarcastic remarks Kyle would come up with. Suddenly she felt like she'd dated the entire population of Roswell. No matter how irrational the thought was, she was embarrassed. She heard the door chime behind her and turned to see Maria arm and arm with an exceptionally athletic looking Kyle.

He smiled broadly at Liz as she came across the café. "Liz! I can't believe you're actually back here," he said giving her a hearty hug, "And on the heels of the pod squad no less." He lowered his voice as he extended his hand to Michael and shook it.

"I see Maria has filled you in," Liz smiled. "Come sit down, and let's catch up."

He nodded and the four resumed the seat that Liz and Jeremy had sat in earlier. "I hear there's a wedding in your future," Kyle said with characteristic bluntness.

Liz nodded self consciously and held up her left hand. The diamond on her finger sparkled brightly. "We're getting married here the last week in July."

Kyle let out a whistle, "Evans must be pissed." He made a big show of examining the ring.

"Max took it pretty well actually," Liz replied. Michael snorted and finally succeeded in getting the young waitress's attention who was taking advantage of the lull in the café to lounge behind the counter. She sauntered up and took out her notebook.

"Cherry coke," Michael grumbled. A chorus of "sames" where heard around the table. The girl nodded and headed back behind the counter.

After the waitress had gone, Kyle rested his eyes first on Liz and then on Maria. "Do they know?" He asked quietly. It was the question Liz knew he would ask and dreaded answering. She'd promised Isabel she wouldn't tell Max about Alex and Tess yet, but with Kyle here, there was no way it would be kept quiet. Maria shook her head. "You haven't told them!" Kyle was surprised.

"Actually…" Liz began quietly but was cut off by Kyle's next question.

"Why not?" It was one of the things they had bonded over after the four aliens had left. He wanted so badly for his guilt to be absolved by letting them hear what one of their own had done.

"Tell us what?" Michael demanded as Max walked into the café with Isabel.

"Kyle!" Isabel exclaimed as she rushed to the table.

Kyle was surprised when he was hauled to his feet and embraced by the statuesque blonde who had never been more than polite to him in the past. "Isabel, Max," he managed to say. He held out a hand to Max. The other man eyed it for a moment, and then seemed to remember something and took it. Kyle looked at Liz as if to question Max' hesitation but Liz simply shrugged as the two newcomer's grabbed chairs and set them at the end of the table.

Once everyone was seated again, Michael voiced his question again. "What don't we know?" He glared at Kyle and then at Maria.

"What are you talking about Michael?" Max asked.

Liz shot Isabel a look. Isabel looked at Kyle and then at Liz again and understood immediately what Michael was talking about. "I have to tell them," Liz replied in answer to Isabel's look.

"You told her?" Maria's eyes widened and she let her jaw hang slack.

"This morning, she heard me talking to Alex."

Maria smiled knowingly. "I did the same thing you know." Liz nodded.

"Again, I ask, what don't we know?" Michael demanded. The others could almost feel his impatience rolling off him in waves.

At that moment, Jeremy came in through the back door. He froze for a moment when he saw Max Evans sitting with his sister and friend along with another guy he didn't know, with his Liz. Liz immediately shot Michael a warning look and stood up. She walked over to Jeremy and laced her fingers through his. "Got another person I want you to meet. Do you mind?" She asked coyly. He grinned at her.

"As long as it's not another ex-boyfriend, sure," he joked. Liz felt her face freeze. "Another one?" he asked in disbelief. Liz let out a nervous chuckle. "Actually, it's Kyle, the sheriff's son."

"The one that's been playing Basketball at Yale; you dated him too?"

"Yeah," Liz smiled shyly. "We kind of dated briefly, but really, its ancient history." She squeezed his hand again, and led him over to the table where Kyle had stood up. "Kyle, this is my fiancé, Jeremy Highland. Jeremy, this is Kyle Valenti."

Kyle's eyes glinted mischievously for a moment until he noticed how uncomfortable Liz looked. He'd also heard about Jeremy's little blow up at his dad's house several nights ago. He decided against making the smart ass remark that had been floating around his head. Instead he smiled broadly and shook Jeremy's hand. "Congratulations," he winked reassuringly at Liz. "It's a pleasure to meet the man who has finally won Liz's heart."

Liz sat down nervously and tried not to look at Max. It was harder than she had ever imagined it would be, pretending that Max wasn't there. She could feel the skin prickling at the base of her neck, and there was almost an electric feeling in the air whenever Max was in close proximity; it felt exactly as she remembered. She, Maria and Jeremy were crammed into one side of the booth. Jeremy had his arm draped possessively around her shoulder. If she hadn't been concentrating so hard on ignoring how she felt around Max, she would have found it amusing that the normally confident and cool man she was engaged to was acting like a jealous schoolboy. She shot a quick glance at Kyle and then Jeremy, and finally Max. Max had straddled the chair and had his chin resting on the back of it. His face was relaxed and it looked like he was paying rapt attention to the conversation in front of him. It seems Max is doing better than I am, Liz thought wryly as she turned her attention back to the conversation, and tried to ignore the nagging memory of what Isabel had told her that morning.

Kyle and Jeremy were talking about college basketball and the probability that Kyle would be drafted for the NBA next season. Kyle occasionally glanced over at Max worriedly while they talked. He didn't know everything that had happened since they left, but he was sure that something was wrong with Max. Though Max had always been a stoic individual, Kyle was ready to swear that there was something missing. _We need to go out for a drink_ he thought, then he remembered what had happened the last time the two of them had drank together. He had been pretty drunk himself so the details of that night weren't clear in his mind, but he knew Max couldn't handle alcohol and he had some vague memories that some pretty weird stuff had happened. He chuckled softly.

"What's so funny?" Michael asked. He'd been pretending not to listen to the conversation, but it was nice to listen to something other than life on another planet or civil wars or enemy spies. Besides, he liked basketball. It wasn't hockey, but it was okay. They had been talking about the NBA draft when Kyle started chuckling.

Kyle looked at him and blinked. "Oh sorry…guess I was just thinking about how long it's been since we were all together," he finished lamely.

"Still practicing Buddhism?" Isabel asked.

Kyle nodded, "it transcends all things." _Including alien related phenomena_, he added to himself. "It helps me keep my head in the game."

Jeremy shook his head. "Never would have pegged you for a middle eastern philosophy type."

"Why's that?" Kyle inquired.

"Jeremy just finished a behavioral science class. He thinks he can classify everyone now," Liz teased.

"Why would someone want to take that?" Kyle wondered aloud.

"Part of my FBI training," Jeremy answered.

Kyle raised his eyebrows and looked at the blank faces around the table. After all they'd been through; they're sitting at a table chatting with an FBI agent! He felt his head spinning. "You're with the FBI?" He asked, hoping he sounded impressed and not worried. He wondered how the hell Liz could go and get involved with an FBI agent…

"Well not yet. I'll join the Bureau in September after Liz and I get married." Jeremy gave Liz a squeeze. She smiled at him and then met Kyle's gaze across the table. She felt extremely uncomfortable. She'd neglected telling everyone what Jeremy's profession was on purpose.

"So did you get your plane ticket changed?" she asked lightly, hoping that she could steer the subject to less dangerous topics.

"Yeah we're set for Thursday morning. I thought we could spend the night in Santa Fe Wednesday so that you girls could have a full day shopping."

Liz felt Maria pinch her, and saw the questioning look on her face. "Oh I forgot to tell you, Jeremy's heading back to Berkley for a couple of days to take care of some things and bring back our car. I thought we could drop him at the airport and take the opportunity to go dress shopping. Can you guys join me?" She looked at Isabel and then Maria. The two smiled tightly and nodded and Liz began a litany on what kind of colors she was thinking for the wedding, and what shops they could go to.

The men looked pained, and Kyle finally cleared his throat. "As much as I'm fascinated by the difference between tulle and chiffon, I should really go. I'm supposed to go see Dad over at the station." He waved his hands in a feminine manner and rolled his eyes. "It's a damn shame too, I could listen to you girls talk all afternoon." Isabel chuckled.

"Sorry Kyle. I guess the wedding is kind of all encompassing right now." Liz smiled apologetically. "We'll get together later, okay?" Her look was loaded with meaning.

Kyle nodded. "I'll be in town for a few weeks so just call the house."

"You're staying with Amy and Jim, right?"

"Yep," he stood and Liz poked Jeremy. He looked at her blankly for a moment and then slid out of the booth. Liz stood and gave Kyle a big hug. "It's really good to see you," she whispered. "I'll call you soon." He nodded and released her.

Michael could tell his question was not going to be answered at that moment, especially not with an FBI agent standing around, so he shot Jeremy a look of distrust, mumbled goodbye, and stalked out of the café followed by Max. It was silent for a few moments while the remaining four stood. Finally Isabel spoke. "So I brought over the magazines we didn't finish looking at last night. It seems we have a lot to do before we leave tomorrow." She grinned as she let the paper bag filled with bridal magazines clatter to the table. Liz grinned widely.

Jeremy took one look at the huge stack and kissed Liz on the cheek. "I think I'll go see if your dad wants to finish showing me the new oven," He said playfully. Liz laughed.

"Have fun." She winked. As he walked away she sighed. "Don't ask about it right now," Liz muttered. She picked up one of the magazines and said clearly in an amazed tone, "this could pass for a book!"


	8. Chapter 8: Stupid, Unexplicable Flashes

**Kudos to anyone who finds the LARGE, GLARING error in the previous chapter. I'd done some editing on the chapter and posted it before having my Beta look at it. (Bad, Bad, Bad Idea!) I'm too lazy to go back and change it now, but I might get around to it eventually.**

**Thanks for all the reveiws, suggestions and questions. It really is inspiring. Sorry I've been remiss in getting this chapter up. To be brutally honest, I've been having too much fun enjoying other people's creative genius instead of exercising my own.**

**Let me know what y'all think. I'd hate to lose the few and valued readers I have!**

**Chapter 8**

Liz stood eyeing the bridal boutique Isabel had insisted they stop at. She was uncomfortable to be with her. By tacit agreement, none of them had spoken about Jeremy's occupation since it was announced. Liz's gaze focused on the store front window where a mannequin modeling an outlandishly puffy dress and was surrounded by a bower of red roses. "I don't know if this is my kind of place Iz," she said skeptically.

"Oh come on Chica! You never know what you'll find in there, come on!" Maria yanked on her arm as she opened the door. Liz sighed and followed her inside. It didn't take long for her two bridesmaids to pick over a dozen dresses for her to try. She was about to enter the dressing room when a very simple satin dress caught her eye. She fingered the material thoughtfully before lugging the dress into the huge dressing room with her.

Having Isabel help her try on dresses was fantastic. She would simply wave her hand, and the dresses would be buttoned and sized to fit her. As they decided one after another that she looked like she belonged on some kind of cake or in a cotton candy machine in them, the dresses would be hung up automatically. Liz stifled a giggle as the last dress she tried on stayed on a heap on the floor. "That does not deserve to be hung up," Isabel declared. "It should be burned!"

Liz held her sides as she laughed. "I'm so happy you two are with me," she said as she gasped for air.

Maria came up behind her and poked her side. "Like we'd have let you come alone!" She walked over to the last dress that Liz had picked herself. "Hmm…pretty," she stated as she unbuttoned the dress and helped Liz into it. The second it was buttoned, Maria gasped, "That's it!"

Liz turned around and looked in the mirror. Isabel and just finished altering it so that it fit like a glove. The dress was a white sleeveless satin ball gown with a high neckline and deep V in the back. There were buttons all the way to the floor and the small train had a simple design embroidered around the edge. "Hang on a sec." Maria ran out of the dressing room and came back with a short veil. She stood in front of Liz as she carefully placed it on her head. When she stood back, she had tears in her eyes.

Liz shook her head at her friend's emotionalism and looked at herself in the mirror.

**Flash**

_Max was holding her hand to help her out of a taxi cab. Then he picked her up and swirled her around. She giggled as she held her bouquet tightly. The white dress that she was wearing billowed around her as they moved. He brushed her veil away from her face tenderly and then he kissed her deeply under the neon lights of the casino._

Liz gasped and slowly slid to the floor. "Are you okay?" Maria asked as she knelt beside her friend. "You look really pale."

Liz shook her head to clear her thoughts. "I uh, yeah I'm fine. I think maybe I'm hungry. What time is it anyways?"

"It's almost one," Maria answered.

Isabel folded her arms over her chest. "If I didn't know better…" she whispered to herself. "No impossible," she said more forcibly.

"What do you mean impossible, we did try on all those dresses." Maria gestured to the huge pile of white dresses that had accumulated on one side of the room. Maria helped Liz to her feet and then looked at the dress again. "Take one more look at this one, and then if you still like it we can come back later." She said as she took an armload of dresses back to the bridal consultant that had come to ask if they needed any help.

After she left, Liz looked again in the mirror. _So this was the dress I wore to marry Max, she thought._ She turned around again and absorbed every detail. She loved the dress, but she would not buy it. She was marrying Jeremy, not Max.

Isabel stayed in the same place and watched Liz closely. She could still see the flash lingering in the smaller girl's eyes. Finally she stepped towards her and touched her arm. "What did you see?"

Liz looked up at her. "What are you talking about?"

"You just had a flash, I can tell."

At that moment, Maria imperiously reappeared through the curtain. "They're having a sale right now, and if you buy the dress, the veil is half off." She continued to chatter as she helped Liz out of the dress. As she began to hang up the dress and Liz threw on her tank top and jeans, she noticed the silence of the other girls. "What?" she demanded.

"Let's go outside," Liz said as they left the dressing area. The three girls thanked the saleswoman and left the boutique.

Once outside Maria grabbed Liz's arm. "What did I miss?" She asked again. Liz unlocked the doors to her SUV and climbed into the driver's seat.

Once all three girls were in, Liz sighed. "There's something I didn't tell you about Future Max, Isabel." Liz adjusted her rearview mirror so she could see Iz.

"She knows about Future Max too?" Maria gasped.

Liz nodded. "She found out the other day when I told her about Alex." Maria looked confused but nodded. "Future Max told me that in his timeline, we eloped and got married in Vegas when we were 19. You, Alex, Michael and Maria came." She sighed. "I think I just had a flash of our wedding." Liz saw Isabel's eyes widen and she heard Maria gasp. "I think that was the dress I wore to marry Max."

"Oh Babe…" Maria pulled her into a tight hug.

"But that doesn't make sense. How can you have a flash of something that didn't happen?" Isabel asked.

"I don't know, but from what I understand, Max had a similar flash when we were in Vegas," Liz answered.

"What?" both girls exclaimed simultaneously. "You never told me that!" Maria cried.

Liz shrugged and started the engine. "There wasn't a whole lot to say Maria. Besides, Max never told me all the details just that he thought he had a flash that seemed like we had just gotten married." She put the car into drive and pulled out of the parking lot feeling extremely uneasy. The silence that filled the car did nothing to alleviate the feeling.

Max awoke to a blinding light filling his bedroom. He blinked and looked at his alarm clock. It was 1 am. Then he saw his sister standing in the doorway. "Iz, it's one in the morning… when did you get back?"

"I just did," she replied as she sat on his bed. "Tell me about the flash you had when we went to Las Vegas."

Max rubbed his eyes groggily. "What flash?" He froze, remembering the flash of Liz wearing a wedding dress and veil. He could have sworn they had just gotten married. "How do you know about that?" Max sat up, fully awake.

"Liz told me. What did you see?"

"Nothing, just the two of us getting out of a taxi," he replied.

"What was Liz wearing?"

Max hesitated a moment. "A wedding dress," he said softly.

Isabel's eyes glinted with excitement as she flipped her French braid over her shoulder. "What did it look like Max?"

"I don't know it was white, she had a veil and gloves on too."

"Did it look like this?" Isabel asked as she projected the image of Liz trying on the wedding dress at the boutique.

"Yeah actually, it kind of does… Iz, what's this about?" Max asked as the image faded.

Isabel opened her mouth and then closed it. "I don't know yet." She stood. "I just needed to ask you."

Max rolled out of bed and stood next to his sister. "How did you know what the dress looked like?" he asked.

Isabel shrugged. "Liz told me."

Max ran a hand through his hair and sat back on the bed. "I do not want to have to deal with this," he muttered.

Isabel sat down next to him again. "Deal with what?"

"These stupid, unexplainable flashes," Max said.

Isabel cocked her head. "You mean you've had more than one?"

"After Zan died, I started getting these flashes. Most of them were about Liz doing certain things. First I thought maybe it was our connection, and that somehow I was able to know what she was doing. But as the flashes got longer, I could tell that wasn't it. A lot of the flashes were of us dancing or talking. But they were never in places we'd actually been, or doing things we had never done." Max shook his head. "Then I started getting flashes of us _being_ together…"

Isabel raised her eyebrows "As in together, together?"

Max nodded and then ducked his head. He could feel the heat of a blush working its way up his neck to his face. "Anyways, a lot of what happened to me had to do with those flashes. I also started to see us battling our foes and losing. Finally, I saw you and Michael die. I just… couldn't handle it."

Isabel gasped. Was it possible that somehow he still had Future Max's memories? Was much of his torment from that, and NOT Kivar?

Max's voice cracked "What's worse is I kept seeing how I left Liz all alone. When I left her like that..." Max couldn't continue.

"Like what Max?"

"We left them here with a killer on the loose. She could have been next, and I still left her for that whore who betrayed us," he rasped.

Isabel put a comforting hand on Max's shoulder. "It's okay Max. Liz is fine, and we're all safe."

Max exhaled and shook his head. "Did you know she didn't sleep with Kyle?"

Isabel nodded. "Yeah I just found out."

"I don't get it Iz. I thought she loved me, but… God this hurts. What makes it worse is the flashes are coming back again. I don't know if I can stand this Izzie." He looked mournfully into Isabel's eyes.

Isabel nodded. "I know." She sighed. "I'm so sorry Max. I wish I had known…"

Max shrugged. "It's not like there was anything you could do about it…" after a moment of silence he added "Can I ask you something?"

"Sure."

"How did Liz know what kind of dress she was wearing in my flash?"

Isabel chuckled. "She had a flash too."

Those four words flew through Max's mind like a wildfire. "She had a flash?"

Isabel had to laugh at the look on her brother's face. It was one of complete shock. "Yeah, the only reason I can figure is since you changed her, maybe when things get intense, she can see things too. I had no idea you were having them too."

"But why? She's marrying Jeremy. Why would she be having a flash of US getting married?" He kicked at the shoe lying at the foot of his bed thoughtfully. "Has she had any other flashes?"

Isabel knew that she was dancing around something she had no right to tell him nor did she think he was capable of handling yet, so she simply shrugged. "I don't know; I guess it surprised me so much I didn't think to ask. Anyways I had to come and ask you. I'm sorry I woke you up. I'll talk to you more in the morning." She hugged Max tightly and then wearily walked to the door.

"Izzie?"

"Yeah?" she turned.

"Is she happy?"

Isabel sighed. "I think she is." Max nodded and laid back on the bed as Isabel turned out the light.

Max laid in the dark thinking about everything that had happened in the last four years. He'd become a father, a prisoner, and a King. He'd fought against an evil monarch and restored the balance of power. The granolith was safe, and so were his people. Yet, he'd given up being with Liz. As much as the flashes he was getting disturbed him, they had also given him hope that one day he and Liz would be together. He rolled over and punched his pillow vengefully. Those flashes weren't helping him now that he was so near her, yet she was farther out of reach than she'd ever been.


	9. Chapter 9: From Czechoslovakia?

**A/N: **Sorry it's taken me so long to get this chapter up. I ended up getting some suggestions (Huge shout out to Martina…) and needed to change things. That added to some Seriously Sucky R/L Drama, and you get the long post time… Thanks again for all the reviews. You guys seriously underestimate how much it makes my day! Anyways, here's the next chapter.

**Oh and does any one know how often I need to say I don't own Roswell so I don't get sued?** **Like I've said before, I don't own! **

**Chapter 9**

Liz opted to crash at Maria's when they arrived back in Roswell. She was exhausted. She must have tried on a hundred dresses, at least. The four hour ride home hadn't exactly helped either. And what about the flash she'd had? It had haunted her all day. Collapsing on the couch, Liz groaned when Maria sat beside her.

"I've been thinking—"

"—please Maria, it's one in the morning," Liz interrupted the blonde. "Can't we talk about this tomorrow?"

Maria rolled her eyes. "Like you're going to sleep after the flash you had today."

Liz burrowed further into the couch. "What do you want to know?" she asked wearily.

"How about where it came from? You think Max sent it?"

Liz frowned. "I highly doubt that Maria. Max doesn't even know about future Max. So how could he send me _that_ flash? Even if he did, why would he _want_ to?"

Maria's green eyes became shadowed. "Then where did it come from?" she asked with a slight shiver.

Liz shrugged. "I don't know. Maybe Czechoslovakia?" She joked, a tiny smile pulling lips.

"I can't believe you're joking about this. It's _so_ not funny," Maria shook her head bemusedly. "You haven't had any other flashes since Max left, have you?"

Liz shook her head. "Not really, but I don't think there is a logical explanation for this. No matter how much we dissect it."

Maria snorted. "Nothing is logical when it comes to the pod-squad."

Liz nodded in agreement. "Listen Maria it's late, and I'm sooo exhausted I can't even see straight. Can we please drop this for now?" Liz was more excited about the flash than she let on, but she also felt guilty about it. Like the flash was a betrayal of Jeremy. She'd appeared blissful in Max's arms. Liz hated to admit that. Even to herself.

Instead, she wrapped her arms around her body and met Maria's gaze. She let her eyes do all the talking for her.

"I understand." Maria smiled sadly. But there was just something so wrong about she and Michael being together, while Liz was marrying someone other than Max. Jeremy seemed like a nice guy, but he wasn't…Max.

"Do you miss 'em?" Maria asked quietly. Her fingers played anxiously with the fringes on the pillow in her lap.

Liz frowned in confusion. "Miss what?"

"Those I've seen into your soul kind of kisses?" Maria said, wishing she had some ice cream they could share. Cause this was certainly one of those moments.

"I try not to think about 'em," Liz said softly. In truth, she'd pretty much hidden from the past ever since Alex was killed, and Max left town with his pregnant, murderous, past wife.

What purpose did dwelling on the past serve?

Nothing could change it. And now she had Jeremy. She was as happy as she was ever likely to be, considering she had changed the future.

"I just can't go back Maria," Liz suddenly cried. "I have a future again. Max is just a friend now. That's all he can ever be. It took me a long time to face it, but I have now. I won't throw away my entire future for a few flashes of what will never be. Jeremy is my life now. Forever and always." Her last words were a direct quote of Jeremy's.

Maria sighed. "I know it was hard to get over Max leaving, but he's back now chica. Is it really fair to punish him for something he had no knowledge of?"

Liz shook her head in denial. "I don't blame him for what Tess did. I even understand about his leaving. But I won't go through that again. It would kill me," Liz said her voice choked with tears, "it would kill him. Face it Maria, it's just not meant to be."

Maria cocked her head to the side. She was just about to speak when her cell phone began ringing. "Who on earth would be calling me at this hour," she muttered in irritation. Digging through her purse, she pulled out her cell phone and pushed talk.

"Hello?"

"Maria this is Isabel. Is Liz asleep yet?"

"No," Maria drew out, "would you like to speak with her?"

Isabel paused. "Um, yeah, I guess."

Maria mouthed Isabel, and handed the phone to Liz. She held it to her ear cautiously.

"Hi Iz. Is everything okay?" Liz watched warily as Maria carted several shopping bags into her bedroom.

"Sort of," Isabel replied and then sighed. "Michael is making a big stink. He wants to know what you and Kyle were talking about."

"What do you expect me to do about it?" Liz asked sharply. It had been a hell of a day, and her nerves were beginning to fray.

"I think we might have to tell him," Isabel replied while casting her reflection in the mirror an annoyed look.

"What about Max?" Liz asked just as rustling and static crackled through the phone. "Isabel," Liz called fearing they'd been disconnected.

"I think he'll be ok. I talked to him tonight and—"

"—you didn't tell him did you?" Liz demanded.

"Not about Future Max." Isabel hastened to reassure her. After a moment she said, "The two of you did have the same flash, Liz."

Liz's eyes widened at Isabel's conformation. "You asked him?"

"Yeah, and it's the same. I think I might have been wrong in asking you not to tell him. Maybe it would be better to just get it out there," Isabel said worriedly.

Liz took a deep breath and tried to formulate words. "Ok, so I guess I should call Kyle in the morning and set it up," she said timidly.

"Night Liz," Isabel hastily broke the connection.

Liz closed the cell phone and sat it down beside her. She was still reeling from her conversation with Isabel.

"What's up babe?" Maria asked leaning against the door frame of her bedroom.

Liz stared at her blankly"Apparently, Michael wants to know what's going on. We're all meeting tomorrow." Liz kept quiet about Isabel's earlier entreaty. She dreaded Maria's reaction to it.

"And that had to be discussed at this time of morning?"

Liz shrugged innocently while twirling a lock of her hair. "I guess."

Maria shook her head. "Weird."

"What else is new," Liz said then yawned. "Can we get some sleep now?" she asked sinking back onto the couch. She couldn't answer another question tonight.

Maria looked at her sharply before nodding. "Night Liz. Love you babe."

"Love you too," Liz mumbled as she stretched out to sleep. Within minutes she was out.

_She's running and running but her legs feel like led. Keep running, the voice chants in her head. Don't stop and don't look back. And whatever you do, don't cry. Don't feel the pain, the hurt, the loneliness, that is stabbing through your heart like a knife._

_JUST KEEP GOING!_

_Keep moving forward. And don't think about the man with the deep amber eyes. Eyes you got completely lost in. And whatever you do, don't think about his warm embrace. Those arms that used to wrap around you. Those arms that made you feel so safe. So loved. _

_But why? Why is he going?_

_No! Don't start crying. Not now. Be strong. But wait…wait…what is that sound? Stand still. Listen. Oh God it's too late. The spaceship is disappearing, deeper and deeper, into the sky. _

_She can't breathe. She can't breathe. Oh God, she can't breathe. And then—when she can not hold it in any longer, she screams:_

"Noooo…"

Liz bolted upright, the scream still dying on her lips. An instant later, lights flooded the room as a disoriented Maria quickly came to her side. "Are you okay?" She asked as sat down next to Liz.

Liz took a deep breath. She'd had this dream countless times before. Why was she so upset now? Max was back. She looked into her friend's concerned gaze and shook her head as tears silently slipped down her cheeks. Maria embraced her as Liz continued to cry.

Max heard the scream and started awake. The house around him was quiet. He could see the faint outline of his window as dawn began to break. It was the same dream he'd told Isabel about the night before. The same dream or flash or whatever the hell it was he'd had for over 3 years.

His mind was in chaos. He was tired of that old mystery. Instead, his mind latched onto the new one. The strange conversation he'd had with his sister a few hours ago. He wondered why he and Liz had shared the same flash, of their wedding no less! Max had learned much on Antar. Like the fact that there were two kinds of flashes.

One was latent, and occurred when an individual touched something that had a significant memory attached to it. And the other was physical. He and Liz had shared physical flashes before. They could be subconscious thoughts, memories, and fantasies, even daydreams.

Max knew that physical flashes could happen even without direct contact. Being in close proximity was enough to cause one. But Liz had been in Santa Fe. There was no way a flash could be generated over such a distance. Yet, it had been. This meant it had to be a latent flash. Only he and Liz had never gotten married.

Max groaned in frustration and ran his hands through his hair. Dawn increased as he noticed weak beams of light filtering into his room. He simply had no explanation for the flashes. But Liz knew—something. Isabel did too. Before the day was over with someone, he didn't care who, was going to tell Max what in the hell was going on.


	10. Chapter 10: Reactions

**A/N: **Late night post means there may be a few errors that slipped through. Sorry, but it was either post now with the possibility of minor errors or don't post at all since I'm back to school this week! I can't beleive I'm saying this, but after the summer I've had, I'm LOOKING FORWARD to going back to college! (Insane, yes?)

**I DON'T OWN ROSWELL, SO DON'T SUE!**

**Chapter 10**

Liz made coffee while Maria took a hot shower. They'd only slept a few hours but Liz knew she wouldn't be able to get back to sleep, so at 6am they had begun their morning.

Liz poured the steaming liquid into a mug just as Maria was emerging from the bathroom. She grinned widely at Liz, grabbed the mug, and took a sip. She then handed the mug back to Liz and poured her own.

"Feel better?" Liz asked after she had taken a few sips from her own cup.

Maria let out a dry chuckle. "I tell ya; this alien abyss is getting deeper by the minute. I'd almost forgotten what it was like." She grimaced. "How are you feeling this morning?"

Liz shrugged. "Numb I guess. In the past week I've had so many things happen… I'm not quite sure what I should feel."

"I can relate to that," Maria sympathized. "With our resident Czechs showing up, along with you coming back to town and telling me you're engaged, and finals all hitting at about the same time I'm feeling a bit steamrolled myself."

"Sorry," Liz sighed. "We haven't really had a chance to talk. What's happening with you and Michael?" She asked as she headed into the living room.

Maria sighed dramatically. "Where do I even begin?"

Liz grinned and sat down on the couch, "how about the beginning?"

"Well, it took a few days for the shock to wear off. For both of us, think." Maria paused to take a sip of coffee, savoring the warmth it gave her. "I think Michael was really shocked by the Evans' asking him to live with them." Maria chuckled. "I came home from school to find him pacing in my living room. He was ranting about them setting house rules. How he was a big boy who'd managed to traverse the universe, so why in the hell would he need a curfew?"

Liz snickered and Maria shook her head in bemusement.

"I was ready to kill him for just barging into my home, until he kissed me." Maria paused as she searched for the words to describe the indescribable. Shaking her head she continued:

"I saw Antar, and stars, then Michael, and the night we spent together," she rattled off. "And that's when I knew…exactly how he felt about me."

"You shared a flash?" Liz whispered.

Maria nodded. "Yeah, we did. It was the most indescribable thing Liz. In that moment, I knew just how much he had missed me, and that his hell had been just as bad as mine. It was a moment of perfect understanding. After that, there were more questions. Neither of us is running this time."

Liz grinned widely. "That's just perfect Maria. I always knew Michael loved you. I'm so happy for you both."

Maria rolled her eyes. "Well don't start ringing wedding bells just yet. Not unless they're your own, because Spaceboy still hasn't changed _that_ much."

"I noticed. It's oddly comforting though considering how different Isabel and Max are." Liz said, becoming serious again.

Maria frowned as she thought about Max then and now. "I don't think Max is that different. He's still cautious and in control. I mean I know things took a toll on him, but I think he's back to being himself again."

"What do you mean back to himself again?" Liz asked guardedly. Did Maria know what Isabel had told her?

"Well um…" Maria knew she was caught. Lying was pointless. She sucked at lying. "Max had like a mental breakdown while he was on Antar. Michael wouldn't tell me the details, but apparently he really scared them." Maria watched as Liz simply nodded. "No, really it's true." She added wanting Liz to fully grasp the gravity of what Max had been through.

"I believe you Maria," Liz sighed tiredly. "I've noticed something off about him. Did you notice how he reacted to Jeremy?"

Maria looked clueless.

"That's the point. He didn't react. Isabel told me a little about what happened."

Maria shook her head. "I'm surprised she wants us to talk about it then."

"I know," Liz sighed and then took a sip from her coffee cup. "I guess she figures we don't have a choice anymore."

Maria grimaced as she tossed her long hair behind her. "I don't know babe, I wondering if it's because she wants to score points with Kyle." She almost managed to keep a straight face…

Liz blushed slightly before she giggled. "That's just wrong on so many levels, Maria!" Maria simply smirked and took another long draught from her mug.

Liz stood a moment later. "I think I'm gonna take my shower and then call Kyle." _It's reckoning day,_ she thought as she bathroom. How was she going to tell Max? She sighed, knowing so much would never be said.

Liz yawned as Maria pulled into the Evans' driveway. The sleepless nights of the last few days were starting to catch up with her and she desperately wanted a nap. Unfortunately, it would have to wait. Kyle was already there, which probably meant everyone else was too. "Here it goes," she muttered to Maria as they exited the car and rang the door bell.

Liz was shocked to see Diane Evans open the door. "Hello girls," she said brightly offering Maria a hug. "Nice to see you again Liz," she said as she ushered them inside.

Liz was at a loss what to do. Should she hug Diane or just smile and nod? She was saved from having to make a decision when Isabel rushed into the foyer.

"I swear Michael's having an aneurysm," she smiled apologetically at her mother who merely nodded. "He's been pacing for almost an hour. Let's get this over with."

"So she knows everything now?" Liz nodded towards Diane Evans who had calmly headed for the stairs.

"Almost everything," Isabel shot a meaningful look at Liz. "Mom and Dad both have been really fantastic."

The trio entered the den where Max, Michael, and Kyle were all waiting. Michael stopped pacing.

"Hey," Liz gave an awkward wave. She took a seat on the couch and Kyle sat beside her. "So I guess we have something to tell you," she began.

"It's about time," Michael said impatiently. Perching on the arm of a chair he glared at Liz and Maria.

Max, who sat near the hearth, glanced first at Isabel, then Kyle and finally Liz. Holding her gaze he asked, "So what's this about?"

It was Maria who answered. "We know who killed Alex."

Michael and Max exchanged angry glances. "Who was it?" Michael demanded.

Max said nothing. Instead, he glanced worriedly at the humans. _Were they in danger?_ His protective instincts went on high alert.

Liz returned his gaze but said nothing. Kyle looked back and forth between the two and finally answered. "It was Tess."

Max flinched. "Tess killed Alex?"

Liz nodded. "She mind-warped him into going to Las Cruces to decode _the_ book. When he broke out of the warp, she killed him. I guess she couldn't risk him telling us."

"How do you know this for sure?" Michael cut in sharply.

"Because _I_ saw it," Kyle said challengingly. Liz squeezed his hand reassuringly.

"Then why in the hell didn't you tell us before?" Michael stood up and began pacing again.

Kyle looked down at his hands and said, "Because she mind-warped me too. She made me think his body was a duffel bag. I actually carried it out to the car," his voice broke and Maria was instantly at his side. She laid a comforting hand on his shoulder. Both she and Liz knew how much guilt Kyle still carried with him.

Kyle shook his head to clear it and began again. "I guess when you guys got ready leave she didn't bother with keeping up the mind-warps. I wasn't the only one who started to remember things." He glanced at Maria and everyone's attention shifted from him.

"Oh God, I forgot about that," she exclaimed. "Poor Body," Maria shook her head. "I managed to convince my mom that the whole hostage thing was just a bad nightmare. But she won't go near the UFO center anymore. She told me not to go there either."

"It took us like three months to calm her down," Liz added.

The three humans shared a sad smile of reminiscence. The three aliens silently tried to digest what they'd been told.

"When did you learn all this?" Max asked in a harsh, grating tone.

"The day you left," Liz answered for the others. She prayed Max would understand the implication.

"Then why didn't you stop us?" He asked, though he almost certainly knew the answer.

"We tried," Maria said to him. "But we couldn't open the cave."

Max staggered to his feet and said, "Thank you for telling us," before exiting the room.

The room was absolutely silent after he left.

Kyle looked confused, Maria's mouth hung open like a fish, and Michael and Isabel shared a worried look. They were remembering the last time Max reacted that way.

Liz knew something was wrong and she was going to make Max tell her what it was. She climbed to her feet and made her way out of the den. She was headed for Max's room. She hesitated when she reached his door. Then she remembered who was on the other side. It was Max. Even after four years, he was still the same person. She knocked softly before pushing the door open.

Max was lying on his bed with his hands clasped behind his head and his eyes closed. "Not now Iz," He muttered. Liz sat next to him on the bed and waited for him to open his eyes.

As soon as she sat down, he knew who it was. He could feel the air tingle with a feeling that was purely Liz. He slowly opened his eyes and found her watching him. He felt his stomach rumble as he looked into her dark eyes. They were silent for a moment, simply content to be with each other.

Finally Liz spoke, "It's not your fault Max. You didn't know."

Max wasn't so sure. He could see the pain shining in her eyes. Pain he had put there. "I'm so sorry Liz, for everything. When you told me your suspicions, I just ignored them," he croaked as he felt a wave of nausea creep over him. He saw Liz's eyes flash with remembered pain as she wrapped her arms around herself. He was overcome with memories too.

He winced and closed his eyes. They sat like that for a moment before Liz pulled him into her arms. She rocked him gently and whispered "I know you're sorry. I know..."

The sound of her voice, and the feel of her arms around him broke Max's tenuous control and he began to sob like a child.

Liz held him tighter as he shuddered against her. She could feel his sense of loss, his fear, and his hopelessness. These were the first real emotions she'd felt from him since he returned from Antar. She was overwhelmed with her own anguish. Taking a deep breath, she pushed her feelings aside. She knew she'd have time to deal with them later. Right now it was about Max, and the comfort he obviously needed. "It' ok," she whispered in his ear as his tears trailed down her neck. "We're okay." Tears threatened to flood her own.

Maybe now Max could heal. Maybe they both could.

"I'm so sorry," Max repeated in mantra as his sobs began to subside. His poor choices had cost too many lives. He didn't know if he could ever forgive himself. He gave a last shuddering breath as Liz released him. He was surprised to see a small smile on her face.

"Feeling better?" she asked.

Max nodded. "I do. Thanks."

She took one of his large hands in hers. "I'm guessing you haven't done that in a long time."

He nodded and squeezed her hand. "That wasn't in the job description. I had to be strong for Michael and Isabel and for you." He sent her a quick flash of Antar. He was sitting in his throne room. Alone. Liz gasped and Max knew she understood his despair, his anger.

She shook her head as she drew her hand away. Max's anger was inwardly directed. He blamed himself for everything. Liz shook her head_. Not all of it was his fault,_ she thought guiltily.

"You can't bury those feelings Max. All they'll end up doing is killing you. They almost did." Liz wanted to alleviate some of his guilt.

She was about to begin her story when Max asked, "Did Isabel tell you that?"

Liz pulled herself out of her thoughts as she struggled to remember what she'd just said. She nodded. "I knew there was something wrong. She just confirmed it." Decisively, Liz reached out a hand and gently caressed his cheek. "You don't always have to be the strong one. We all love you, and it's alright to lean on us sometimes. We've been through the unimaginable, and we need each other. Don't shut us out Max."

They stared at each other for a moment, until embarrassed; Liz dropped her hand from his face and crossed the room to stare out the window.

Max came up behind her and rested a gentle hand on her shoulder. "Thank you Liz. Thank you for never giving up on me."

Liz felt a pang of guilt. _But I did give up on you… Even though you told me goodbye and left the planet, I still feel—wrong for getting on with my life. _Liz thought bitterly. If she'd believed for an instant that Max might come back, she would have never dated Jeremy. She would have never gotten engaged to him. No matter how persistent he had been.

For Gods sake, he was about to join the FBI. What was wrong with her? At the time, she told herself it didn't matter. None of the aliens would ever be back. She was wrong. She had given up on Max. She had given up on all of them.

Liz let out shaky breath, "You have too much faith in me," she said to Max.

Before Max could reply, there was a knock on the door and Isabel walked in. "Sorry to interrupt but Kyle's getting ready to leave."

Liz nodded and quickly left the room.

Max tried to follow but Isabel grabbed him by the arm. "Are you ok?" she asked.

He nodded. "I'm fine Iz. Better than I've been in a long time."

For the first time since she could remember Isabel believed him. She threw her arms around her brother and hugged him to her chest. She held on to him for a few seconds before saying, "I'm glad."

Max casually draped an arm around his sister's shoulders as they headed

down the stairs to say goodbye to Kyle.


	11. Chapter 11: Not the Mother Earth Type

**A/N: Tried to download this last night, but for some unknown reason, it wouldn't let me... Go figure. I had alot of readers say that the last chapter was their favorite so far. Is that because it was M/L centric, or was the writing just better? I'm curious. If the former is true, maybe I should condense the next few chapters so you guys can get your next M/L boost?**

**Disclaimer: Same old song and dance: Don't own Roswell, I'm not brilliant enough to have invented it!**

**Chapter 11**

It was late afternoon the following day, and Kyle had been calling Liz's cell phone every few hours leaving messages. Liz figured he was curious and bored so she stopped by the Valenti's house on her way back from looking at flowers for the wedding.

When Kyle answered the door, he leaned on the doorjamb and grinned. "Hey Liz," he said lazily. "You must be a mind reader! How did you know I wanted to talk to you?"

"Hi Kyle." Liz smiled and rolled her eyes. "Your phone calls kind of tipped me off."

Kyle opened the door wide and motioned for her to come in. "Oh those?" Kyle grinned. "I guess that might have helped." Liz sat on the couch and watched as Kyle made himself comfortable. After a few moments he said, "It's been a while, hasn't it?"

"Yeah," Liz said softly as she surveyed the room. It hadn't changed much in four years, she realized. She broke out of her short reverie by Kyle's voice:

"So what happened to Harvard?"

Liz shrugged. "It was everything I'd imagined it would be, but I wasn't who I imagined I was… I wasn't happy there."

"Well as Buddha says, 'we each must find our true path if we are to find our true selves,' so I guess I understand." A slight grin pulled on his lips.

Liz shrugged. "I guess," she said, trying to not smile at the Buddhism reference. "So tell me about Yale."

Kyle narrowed his eyes and wagged his finger at her. "You're not getting off that easy. How's Berkley? Do you live in a commune?"

An unwilling snicker escaped Liz's lips. "Kyle, they had those in the 70's. Now they have these things called dorms. I'm sure they have those at Yale too…"

"Yeah, but Berkley is like, a breeding ground for hippies. Are you sure there aren't still some of them around?"

She shook her head. "Sorry Kyle, but since I'm not really the hippie, mother earth type, I wouldn't know…"

Kyle looked slightly disappointed. "Can I get you a beer or something?"

Liz shook her head. "I'm fine, thanks," she replied.

Kyle shrugged as he stood. A few minutes later he returned with a Corona and sat down. He took and swig and looked at her. "You look good. So tell me about this Jeremy guy."

Liz raised her eyebrows. "I'm sure everyone has already filled you in on the basics…"

"You mean that he's your fiancé, and an FBI agent? Yeah we covered that. What I haven't heard is how the hell it happened."

"He was a law student when I met him. How was I to know his dream was to work for the FBI?"

"And you're still marrying him?"

"Obviously," Liz replied holding up her left hand. "He's a good guy Kyle. Besides, it's not like everyone who works at the Bureau is like Agent Pierce. He's probably not even going to work in the field for the first year, so there's nothing to worry about." She'd had this conversation with herself thousands of times.

One of the reasons that she had been hesitant to move to Washington with Jeremy in the first place was because of his job. It had taken years for her to get over her fear of the FBI. She'd finally managed to by reasoning that since there were no more aliens on earth, it was safe. Of course, that was before she knew Max was back…

"Mmmkay," Kyle replied. "I still don't know if it's a good idea."

"Since when did my personal life become your business?" Liz demanded, her eyes flashing. She knew Kyle was probably right. It didn't mean she had to accept everyone judging the decisions she made.

Kyle saw the look of annoyance flash in her eyes, followed by one of insecurity. "Just stating my opinion," he held up his hands. "But for my sanity, stay away from Eagle Rock, alright?"

Liz shivered slightly and nodded. "Any other questions," she inquired dryly.

"Just one… I've been getting flashes of Max Evans naked again, do you think it has anything to do with the fact he's back on earth?"

Liz laughed so hard she practically fell off the couch. "I...can't…. believe…you … said… that…" She gasped. She looked at him for a moment and then added "You're not serious are you?"

He snickered. "Nah just wanted to get you going. Why? You haven't had any flashes of him have ya?"

Liz suddenly turned quiet, thinking about the dreams she'd been having and the silver handprint she'd thought she'd seen on her stomach a few days ago…

And then there was the flash she'd gotten in Santa Fe.

Kyle imitated the theme song from Twilight Zone and then said, "You've seriously had flashes?"

"Just some weird things have happened." _That sounded forced._

"What kind of weird things?" Kyle leaned forward.

"Just dreams about when they left, and then I thought I saw Max's handprint, but then it turned out to be nothing." Liz tried to reply lightly.

"You mean…" Kyle trailed off pointing to his stomach. Liz nodded. "Weird," he said.

"I know! I spent the next two hours checking every few minutes. It was pretty pathetic," Liz replied shaking her head_. Please don't ask any more questions_. Liz quickly changed the subject. "So, Yale…" She smiled encouragingly.

Kyle took a long sip of his beer and placed it back on the alien coaster that Amy had made. He chuckled. "Well I had to get out of this no-longer-alien-infested-town, so when I got the scholarship to play at Yale, I took off. I mean you'd already left on early admission, and Maria was trying to get a singing deal at the time."

Liz nodded. "Do you like it?"

"It's great. I'm playing with a good team, and we've been winning. Classes are tough, and I wish I had a science wiz close by to help, but I'm holding my own..."

"That's great Kyle! When Maria told me where you were, I could just see you there."

Kyle nodded back and was about to say something when the Sheriff walked in. He closed the door behind him and took off his sunglasses. "Well Liz, how are you?"

"Good Sheriff, just trying to catch up with Kyle a bit."

Jim nodded. "Good. Maybe you'll be able to get more out of him than his old man. All he ever does is spout Confucius at me…" He winked at his son.

"It's not Confucius dad, it's Buddhism!" Kyle complained.

Liz laughed and looked at her watch. "I hadn't realized it had gotten so late. I should get going. It was nice to see you again," she said as she gave Kyle a quick hug and then his father. "Tell Amy I'm sorry I missed her."

"Will do," Jim replied as they followed Liz out to her car.


	12. Chapter 12: Telescopes, Flashes and Max

**A/N: Thanks for all the reveiws! I always enjoy reading your input! Hope you guys enjoy your M/L fix!**

**Disclaimer: I only own the plot. Roswell and its characters are owned by people more fortunate than I!**

**Chapter 12**

_No wonder I eloped the first time_, Liz thought as she surveyed the neat piles of invitations, RSVP cards, and wedding favors that covered her desk. Jeremy was due home the next day, and she wanted to finish the invitations before he returned.

Liz decided to take a break from the wedding insanity. She flopped onto her bed with a sigh. It had been a long and torturous two days since she talked to Max, but Liz knew she had to stay away.

When she'd left the Evans' home after revealing the truth about Tess, Max had given her a soulful look that made her want to melt. It was just too dangerous to be around him. She'd promised herself to another man. She couldn't look into his soulful eyes and not fall back into the same life – the one filled with Alien chaos, and heartbreak.

Isabel had called her several times offering help with the wedding invitations and anything else she needed. Against her better judgment, Liz agreed_. I don't understand why Isabel is so excited about this wedding._ Liz sat up. As one of the Alien trio, Liz had expected Isabel to be condemning her choice like everyone else silently was. Instead, Isabel had been incredibly supportive and had offered numerous suggestions, many of which Liz had taken.

Liz grimaced. She was tired of thinking and planning. A small smile tugged at her lips as her eyes fell on a box sitting by her window. It was a telescope. She'd bought it on impulse when they were in Santa Fe. She grabbed the box and lugged it through the window. Setting it up would be the perfect distraction!

Two hours later, she was adjusting it on her balcony. It was a warm, cloudless night, and the stars were shimmering brightly overhead.

"Liz?" It startled her to hear the familiar voice float up from the street. She walked over to fire escape and saw Max looking up at her. "Can I come up?"

Max had spent the past few days watching Isabel rush out to meet Liz for what she called wedding related business. He finally gave up his internal fight on invading Isabel's privacy and slipped into her room after she'd left one day.

Isabel said little to nothing to him about Liz or the wedding. Max was partially grateful but he wanted _no make that needed_ to know what was happening with Liz. He was sure that she was avoiding him.

Max took a quick glance around the room. His eyes landed on a wedding invitation lying on Isabel's vanity. 'Elizabeth Ann Parker and Jeremy Bruce Highland request the honor of your presence…' it read. He set it down and left the room in disgust.

He was heading out the front door as Isabel pulled into the drive. "Hey," she greeted him.

"Hey," he replied back.

"Where you going?" she asked.

"For a walk." They stood awkwardly, staring at each other.

Isabel eyed him for a moment more before she said, "Have fun."

Max nodded and stalked off. He had no idea where he was headed, but he needed to get out of the house. He needed to think. It was obvious that Liz was going to go through with the wedding. He had no right to expect her to do anything else. It killed him that she would go to such lengths to avoid him though. It almost reminded him of how it was with them before he had gone to New York… his stomach churned at the thought. Even if they couldn't be together, Max knew he couldn't stand lose her as a friend too. With his mind made up, he quickly headed towards the Crashdown as the last light died from the evening sky. He could see her balcony lights shimmering above him. He called her name and a moment later, she appeared as another dark shadow against the inky sky.

When he climbed to the roof his gaze immediately fell on the black telescope. "Is that new?"

"Yeah I just put it together today. My old one is still at Berkley, and I figured since I'm going to be here a few months I should have one." Max could feel her nervousness radiating from her.

"How's it working?" He asked, trying to make her feel at ease.

"I don't know. I haven't gotten it calibrated yet."

"May I?" Max gestured to the instrument.

Liz stepped aside. "Be my guest."

Max grinned impishly and waved a hand over the telescope. "Take a look."

"Pretty cocky aren't we, Mr. Evans?" Liz said as she bent over the eyepiece. She gasped as she found herself looking at what appeared to be a red giant. She blinked and looked again. "What did you do? There's no way I should be able to see that with this telescope!"

"I made a few modifications…" Max said as he peered through the eyepiece. "I see Xlsisis has finally died."

"Xlsisis?"

"It's a star in my galaxy. We figured it would die in the next month or so. With the light pattern that I'm seeing, it means its dead."

Liz stepped beside Max and looked at the dying star again. "This is in your galaxy?" She asked softly.

"Mmhmm," Max replied.

"What else can I see from there?" She asked as she looked up at the vast starry sky.

Max smiled as he nudged her out of the way and began to adjust the telescope while looking through the viewfinder. After a minute he said, "that's one of Antar's suns towards the left of your pointer." He moved out of the way and sat on Liz's lounge chair while she eagerly looked through her telescope. Neither spoke for several minutes. Max could feel her excitement building as she studied the star.

"It's beautiful," Liz sighed as she turned back to Max. "Thank you for showing me." Max nodded and looked up at the sky, not knowing what to say. _I can't just accuse her of avoiding me and tell her to stop. What exactly am I supposed to tell her?_ Telling her that he loved her more than life itself and that she should forget about Jeremy was egotistical and unfair. He also knew she was liable to throw him over the side of her balcony for even thinking it.

Liz watched as a myriad of thoughts seemed to pass before Max's eyes. He was silent, but she knew he was trying to figure out what to say. She sat in a chair next to Max. "What's on your mind?"

Max's eyes met hers, and she felt herself swimming in emotion. The hairs on the back of her neck prickled as she felt the pull towards a connection. "Don't Max," she whispered. It was hard enough just to be in the same place as him. Seeing his soul would just make it all more difficult.

He ducked his head sheepishly. "Sorry. Usually the pull for a connection isn't that strong. I forgot what it was like with you. I'll try to control it better."

"Are you implying you can make a connection like that with anyone now?" Liz wasn't sure if that made her relieved or sad.

"More or less; it depends on the willingness of the individual, and what kind of relationship already exists. It's tough to form an instantaneous connection with a stranger."

Liz nodded as she considered what to say next. "So why are you here Max?" Her voice sounded harder that she'd intended.

Max took a deep breath. _Here it goes..._ "I want to tell you that I'm glad you're happy. I know how hard it was for me when I left, and I can't imagine how you…" he cleared his throat and paused before continuing. "I just want us to still be friends," he finished awkwardly.

Liz stood with her back to Max. Tears were gathering in her eyes as she replied. "Do you remember what you said before you left for New York?" There was silence, so Liz continued. "You said that we couldn't be just friends because it would hurt too much." She turned to face him.

"I understand what you meant now. It just hurts too much Max, for you and for me because what happened has made me who I am. I know you don't approve of the relationships I've made." Max started to shake his head but she cut him off. "I can't go back and change things now. I've accepted it, but I don't think you have." Liz's heart hurt as she said the words. A tear crawled down her cheek as she whispered, "I'm sorry, but-" The flash hit her without any warning.

**_flash_**

"_I want to date normal boys…I may love you but I don't want to die for you," she said. The pained look on Max's face mirrored her own as she wept on her balcony with Future Max._

**_flash_**

_She was running away from the pod chamber when she heard him call her name. When she turned, she could see Max's face. It looked like he was drowning and was begging her to save him, but she had walked away, leaving him to a destiny with a killer._

**_flash_**

"_You have to go! You have to try!" An older version of herself exclaimed. The look of utter fear and devastation on Future Max's face made her heart break. She felt Future Max crush her in an embrace as she said, "I don't have any regrets Max." _

**_flash_**

_Max was sitting in a tent-like structure. The wind was blowing and she could almost feel the heat rising from the sandy earth. His hands were folded in his lap as he stared ahead of him, unseeing. After a moment, she saw his lips move. "Liz," he said softly as a single tear slid down his cheek. Then he blinked and stood. Liz realized that Max had just had a flash. She saw Isabel enter the tent as the world swirled around her and everything went black._

She felt two warm hands on her arms. She shook her head to clear the images she had seen.Max was standing in front of her with concern radiating from his eyes. She inhaled a couple of deep breaths, taking comfort from the warmth of his stare.

"What did you see, Liz?" he demanded to know.

Liz could feel her eyes begin to overflow and she dashed a tear away before it could drip from her eyelashes. She shook her head and moved out of his embrace. She sat down on the chaise and sighed. The flashes still swirled in her mind as she tried to figure out what she had seen, and how to explain it.

Liz had been telling Max the she didn't think they could be friends when she suddenly fell quiet and began to sway on her feet. It took a moment for Max to realize she was having a flash. She looked so scared and hurt that he quickly stood beside her and steadied her in his arms.

_What the hell?_ He swore as he saw Liz's flash. He KNEW he hadn't sent Liz that flash. The question was _who _had?

"Was that real?" She asked several moments later. Max swallowed and nodded as he took a seat next to her. Liz cradled her face in her hands. "Oh my god," Max heard her say softly. She removed her hands and looked into his face. "Did you see that?" Max nodded. "How much did you see?"

"I was on Antar."

"Did you send me that Max?"

"No. I don't know how you saw that."

"What about the others?"

"Others?" he asked, raising his eyebrows.

"The other flashes- what did you see?" Liz demanded.

"You mean you had more than one flash?" He felt a hard knot form in his stomach. The only time he had more than one flash was… he refused to let himself remember it.

Liz nodded as he stood and began pacing. "I only saw myself in the tent. What else did you see Liz?" He hoped whatever she saw wasn't horrible.

"Mostly things I remember saying to you."

"So except for that last flash of me, they were your memories, right?"

Liz hesitated. Technically, she had seen Future Liz's memories too, but she rationalized that Max didn't need to know that. "Yeah I guess so. Max, how is it that I'm getting these flashes if you're not sending them to me?"

"I don't know." He perched on the lounge chair again. "I don't know anything anymore."

Liz thought he sounded frustrated. She knew the feeling. "We'll figure it out Max." She was determined. She was a scientist and the mystery allured her. "Why don't you tell me what you know about these flashes…?" She trailed off. It dawned on her that asking Max to help solve this mystery was a complete contradiction to what she'd told Max about not being friends.

The second Max began to explain, Liz realized she didn't care.


	13. Chapter 13: We have a Problem

**A/N: So it's been a while... Any of you remember this story? I wouldn't blame you if you forgot. I'm sure the question on all of your minds is WHY haven't I updated. I mean, I've already said that I've written most of the story, so what was the hold up? **

**I could give you the simple answer that R/L is kicking my butt... However, that wouldn't be entirely true. College is tough but I do have spare time. The real reason is, many of your reviews caused me to look at my writing. You are all right, Liz has no reason to stay with Jeremy. At least not one that was compelling, as of yet. I needed to do some serious revision so that the reasons her life is heading where it is makes sense. I had to find a way for the plot to be more beleivable with the character. This is the result. Hopefully, you all like it.**

**Shout out to Martina G! Thanks for telling me to stop procrastinating and post it! Glad you like it!**

**And now, on to chapter 13!**

**Chapter 13**

Liz lay in bed next to Jeremy, who was snoring softly. He'd arrived home the night before with several boxes full of pictures and other things that she'd asked him to bring back from their apartment. He's also returned home with news that the FBI wanted him to report for duty sooner than anticipated. He'd told her where he was working was "classified" but that it was nearby, so he'd still be able to help with the wedding that was quickly approaching.

She stared at the glow in the dark stars that she'd stuck on her ceiling almost a decade before. There was only one place in the area that had any connection with the FBI: Eagle Rock. _And if Jeremy's working there, we're all in deep trouble…_

Isabel had tried calling Liz several times over the next few days. It wasn't easy to avoid the Wedding Nazi, but Liz tried to. She felt guilty. Without proof, she wasn't sure she wanted to share her suspicions about Jeremy's place of employment. She also wanted her friends to stay as far away as possible, in case she was right. The last thing they needed was for her fiancé to associate them with extraterrestrial activity.

Nor did Liz know what to do about Max. She hadn't seen him since he'd shown up on her balcony several days earlier. They'd talked into the early hours of the morning. She was still puzzling over the odd flashes that they'd seen. It was just plain odd. Not even with Max's new information on what causes flashes helped. _Not like there's ever a rational answer when it comes to Max, _Liz thought as she found herself nearing Maria's apartment building.

Liz hadn't seen Maria since Jeremy had returned home. She had only herself to blame for it. Guilt and worry had kept Liz from talking to her. She'd decided this morning that she needed to talk to someone, so she'd headed to the one person that she thought would be objective.

Liz noticed Michael's dirt bike in the parking lot. She debated going up, wondering if she would be interrupting _something _she'd rather not know about. Her decision was made when she saw Isabel and Max pulling into the complex in an old black Mustang. Isabel opened the door and waved as Max nodded briefly at her before heading into the building, essentially ignoring her existence. Liz felt her stomach churn. _What the heck was that? Did Max suspect something? Why wouldn't he say anything?_ Liz's mind spun furiously as she greeted Isabel. "Hi Iz," she said uncertainly.

"Hi Liz." Isabel slammed her door shut. "What's up?"

"I came to see Maria. I had no idea everyone would be here."

Isabel nodded. "I haven't heard from you lately. Is everything okay?"

Liz sighed. "Yeah," she said tersely. "Just busy."

"Well are you going to come up or not?" Isabel asked when she noticed Liz wasn't following her up the staircase.

"Maybe this isn't such a good idea," Liz said softly and started to walk back to her car.

Isabel stood for a moment on the stairs. She knew everyone was waiting for her upstairs, but the lost look on Liz's face bothered her. She knew something was wrong and silently cursed the girl in front of her for not trusting her enough to tell her what was wrong. "Talk, Liz," she demanded.

Max was staring out the window of Maria's apartment. Isabel had stayed behind with Liz and he was beginning to wonder what was keeping them.

"What are they doing down there?" Michael muttered in annoyance.

"I'm sure they're just talking," Maria said as she handed a Coke to Max and then opened the other one and took a sip before handing it to Michael. He looked disgusted as he set the Coke down. "What?" She asked. "Oh you can kiss me, I just can't share your drink?" She huffed as she went to the refrigerator and pulled out an unopened drink for Michael.

"Don't you think we should include her in this?" Maria asked again as Max continued to stare intently at the parking lot below. Maria, Max, Isabel, and Michael were meeting to talk about contingency plans for Jeremy. None of them could quite believe that Liz was marrying an FBI agent.

It was Max who suggested that they keep the meeting from Liz. He understood how much their departure had hurt and haunted Liz. It just didn't seem fair to demand she break up with the person who seemed to help her through it, FBI agent, or not. Not to mention he didn't think he was the most objective person when it came to Liz.

"It's not safe Maria," Max said again. "Besides, I don't think she'd be too happy to hear us discussing what to do with her fiancé…" He voice was laced with distain.

"It's never been safe Max. But you know Liz would die rather than let anything happen to you. To any of you," she exclaimed. Maria had wanted to include Liz from the beginning but Michael and Max had argued that Liz made her decision when she got engaged to Jeremy, and that it would only endanger her and them if she was included in their plans. Maria felt so guilty that she had barely talked to Liz in days.

Maria knew Liz was scared of what would happen to their friends. She was also positive that Liz would never let anything happen to any of them. Isabel understood, and had tried to talk to her and Liz had pushed her away. Maria knew Liz was trying to protect them just like Max was trying to protect Liz. At that moment Max jumped away from the window.

"They're coming up," he announced.

Maria took a deep breath and sniffed her lavender aromatherapy pot before going to the door. She opened it to see Liz and Isabel walking down the hall. They entered silently. Liz stood standing with her back to the door. "We have a problem," she said softly.

Maria was standing by her side, torn between loyalties that she always thought were the same. _Apparently not_, she told herself when she saw the look of death that Michael shot them.

Liz looked warily at her friends. _How do I even begin to tell them?_ She could see the strain and stress in each of their eyes. She accepted the blame for that stress, but had no idea of how to make it right.

She had considered simply eloping with Jeremy and getting him out of Roswell, but once she left, she'd be forced to cut all ties with her friends that she had just gotten back and she didn't know if she could do that. She could break the engagement, but Jeremy would still have to work at Eagle Rock, assuming that's where he was working, until the transfer came through, and who knows what an angry and dumped ex-fiancé would do. She could also continue with status quo and try to keep an eye and Jeremy and his work, so that if there was any danger for her friends, she would be able to let them know. She shook her head. She couldn't keep something like this to herself.

She dragged her eyes to Max's. He held her gaze for a moment, his frown deepening. "What is it, Liz?"

Taking a deep breath, she closed her eyes. "I think Jeremy's going to start working at Eagle Rock."

_Silence, absolute Silence._ Liz opened her eyes. "I'm so sorry," she whispered.

"Were you planning on telling us this before or after he'd performed our autopsies?" Michael hissed as he looked down at her.

"I just found out the other day," Liz said quietly. "I don't even know for sure if that's where he's working. All I know is that the FBI is going to have him working somewhere 'classified' until after the wedding."

"Of course that's where he's working!" Michael exploded. "There's no where else even near this god-forsaken town!"

"Okay, stop yelling!" Maria interjected. "Sit." She motioned for everyone to head into the living room.

"What if we told him? He could be our inside man," Isabel suggested.

"Oh yeah, that'll go over real well. 'Your fiancé's ex-boyfriend is the alien life form that your superiors are looking for.'" Michael sarcastically flung a look of disbelief at Isabel. "He's already jealous of Max; what do you think he'd do with that information? Hmmmm, there's a toughie."

"I agree," Liz said quietly. "I don't think Jeremy should know."

"Which brings us back to what the hell do we do about him," Michael huffed.

"I think we should wait and see what exactly his job is. He's new to the FBI; I doubt they'll have him working on anything too high level," Max reasoned. _Hiding in plain sight had worked for them before…_

Liz was hit with a sudden realization. "Oh my God," she muttered.

"What?" Maria asked looking worriedly at her friend.

"Everyone goes through background checks when you work there, including family members and friends. They've already done one check on me. Do you know if Nasedo was able to destroy our files before he was killed?"

Max shook his head. "I don't know. Do you think they'll connect you with us?"

Liz nodded slowly. "If they still have those files, guys…" She shuddered. "You have to leave Roswell. You're sitting ducks here."

The three aliens looked at each other in panic. Surprisingly, it was Michael who said "I'm not leaving." He looked directly at Maria.

"Then I'm going to have to find a way for Jeremy and me to leave."

Max's eyes flashed with what Liz thought looked like jealousy. "Is leaving going to solve the problem?" He asked.

"If we're not here, the FBI isn't going to know you guys are still here. Any suspicion will be solely on me. Everyone else would be safe." Her mind whirled with possibilities on how to convince Jeremy to just accept the job in Washington.

"What about the wedding?" Isabel asked.

"We'll elope," Liz said simply, feeling cold and empty inside. She felt Max's gaze on her but couldn't bear to see his face.

Max shook his head. "I'm not going to put our safety above yours." He looked directly at her. "We're in this together," he added almost inaudibly.

Liz understood the look in his eyes. It was the same look Future Max had given her when he begged her to help him fall out of love with her. It was a look of fear and despair. She bit her lip. "It's worth it if you're all safe."

Isabel stood up suddenly and ran to the bathroom. Maria and Liz looked at each other and rose at the same time. They had seen the look on her face.

Max frowned and looked after his sister's figure as she shut the bathroom door. Never, even with all that had happened on Antar had Max seen Isabel react like that. He looked back at the two girls who were standing near him.

"What the hell was that?" Michael asked worriedly, voicing Max's thoughts.

"We'll talk to her," Liz and Maria walked to the door and knocked softly. "Iz it's me, open the door," Liz said when Isabel didn't open the door.

Isabel heard her friend's voice and haltingly tried to stem the tears. "Just a second," she gasped as she took several deep breaths. She opened the door a crack and let Maria and Liz slide into the small bathroom. They stood, crowded around each other in silence except for Isabel's still irregular breathing. Maria reached out and gave Isabel a hug and said, "This sucks big." Isabel nodded and sat on the edge of the tub.

Liz slid to the floor and stretched her feet in front of her with her back leaning against the wall. "Want to talk about it?"

Isabel sniffed, and Maria handed her a wad of toilet paper as she sat on the toilet. Isabel dabbed her eyes. "I can't leave here again. We just got back and Mom and Dad… God, there are finally no secrets there and now…" She sobbed.

"You won't have to leave Iz," Liz spoke determinedly. "Not as long as I can prevent it."

Isabel looked at her calm face in awe. "After all you've done, how can you be willing to walk away from it all again?"

Liz shrugged and looked at her shoes. "What other options do we have?"

"I don't know, but there has to be one that doesn't involve you having to sacrifice everything. You've done more than enough."

Silently listening to the conversation Maria was struck with the absurdity of it all. She smiled, and felt the impulse to giggle rise into outright laugher. The other two girls looked at her for a moment and then started laughing themselves.

The whole situation was insane, unbelievable, really. As Liz laughed she felt tears begin to run down her cheeks and suddenly, she wasn't laughing, she was crying. She didn't want to be strong for everyone. She wanted Max to hold her and tell her it would be okay. She wanted to be hundreds of miles from Roswell and even farther away from Jeremy and the life she had chosen. She wanted to be back in high school when times were good, and the only thing she had to worry about was what to wear on a date with Max. She felt Isabel pull her into a hug.

"I swear I'm not going to let you go through that again Liz," Isabel said. "None of us are."

Maria nodded in agreement. "You're not going to do this alone babe."

The three girls looked at each other for a long time. Finally Liz said, "I don't love Jeremy and I have no idea what to do. I'm afraid to break it off. What he would do to Max, to all of you? If I marry him, at least I'll have some way to protect you." She heaved a sigh of frustration. "It's the only option I have, unless I keep it status quo until we know more."

Max had been standing outside the door of the bathroom since he heard the fit of laughter erupt from behind the closed door. He was baffled by what Isabel had told Liz. What had Liz gone through? Liz's soft voice was muffled by the door, but he could have sworn she said she didn't love Jeremy. He felt like a huge weight had been lifted off of him at the thought. He knocked on the door. "Iz, are you okay?" he asked.

"Yeah Max," Iz replied. "Just give us a few more minutes."

"Okay," Max said as he headed back towards the living room.

Inside the bathroom, Isabel stood. "So it's agreed. We're going to find out what we can about Jeremy and his new job. But you're not marrying him Liz. I won't let you." She commanded.

Liz looked up at her and smiled. Isabel really is a princess she thought. She could hear it in her voice. Liz stood with a slight grin on her face. "As you say, your highness," she attempted a curtsy which she failed miserably when she whacked her elbow on the sink. "Ouch!" she exclaimed as she rubbed her elbow. Maria and Isabel laughed as they opened the door.

"That's what you get for being smart to royalty," Isabel joked as she regally sauntered down the hallway.

The boys were sitting one either end of the couch when the girls emerged. Michael was perturbed beyond recognition, while Max eyes were focused vaguely into the distance, deep in thought. Maria quickly deposited herself on Michael's lap and gave him a kiss on the cheek. He kept his gaze trained on Isabel though. Her face held a touch of mirth mixed in with her Ice Queen face that she still wore from time to time. He'd never quite seen that expression before, but he decided he liked it.

Liz entered behind Isabel still rubbing her tingling elbow. Her eyes rested on Max. He looked like the alien king he was, she thought. His brow was furrowed in thought, but he looked like the responsibility was not unwelcome; it almost seemed a part of him. She thought she'd never seen him look more handsome. _Now's not the time to think of that, Parker._ She scolded herself as she sat next to Isabel.

Max shook himself from his reflections and stood. "I don't think it's necessary for you to take such drastic measures yet, Liz," he said, preparing for a fight. Liz simply nodded.

"We think Liz should just find out what she can about Jeremy's job before this gets any farther." Maria piped in.

"The first round of background checks were finished before we came to Roswell," Liz supplied. "I passed. It'll probably be at least another few weeks before they start the second phase. That'll at least buy us some time."

"Then let's wait and see how serious this could be before we take drastic action," Max's eyes pleaded with Liz.

Isabel tucked her arm through Liz's and said, "That's exactly what I told her."

"Well the royalty has spoken!" Maria said in an attempt to lighten the mood. "Now that we've decided on that, let's eat. I'm starved." She traipsed into the kitchen to rummage through her refrigerator.

"You do know, status quo means no avoiding us, right?" Isabel whispered in Liz's ear.

Liz nodded. "I just thought I was keeping you safe," she whispered back.

Isabel looked at her imperiously. "I can take care of myself," she replied as she joined Michael and Maria in the kitchen as they argued about what kind of toppings to get on the pizza she was ordering.

Max flopped down next to Liz on the loveseat, "is she okay?" he enquired as he motioned to his sister.

"She'll be fine Max. It's just a bit overwhelming… for all of us," she said trying not to look too deeply into his eyes.

In an instant, she felt the electricity pull at her, and the connection flared to life. It was unlike any connection she had ever made with him before. She saw no flashes, but she knew exactly what Max was thinking and feeling at that instant. His concern for Isabel flooded over her. She opened her mouth to reassure him when she felt his understanding to what she had not yet said.

_This is really weird, Max._ She thought as she continued to look into his amber eyes. She saw a smile flicker across his face as she felt his thoughts nudge her mind.

_Life's stranger than fiction_; she felt him joke. She rolled her eyes.

_Even so_… she continued but was cut off by Maria's hand waving in front of her face.

"Helloooo! Earth to Liz! What kind of pizza do you want?" Liz blushed slightly. "It doesn't matter to me," Liz replied. "What do you want Max?"

She thought she felt him say something like _you_, but figured she must have imagined it as the connection waned and he turned to Maria and answered, "Hawaiian sounds good."

Michael hooted in the background. "Three against one… give me the phone."

Liz chuckled and looked back at Max. "Want to explain what that was?"

"That was a connection," he said with an innocent grin.

Liz raised her eyebrows. "No kidding."

He continued to grin as he got up off the couch. He extended his hand to her and pulled her up. They stood looking at each other for a moment. Liz felt the connection begin again.

This time, she saw a flash of Max and her wearing wedding clothes. Max was holding her in his arms in front of a Casino. She gasped and took a step away. Max broke the connection quickly. "Sorry," he mumbled as he turned away.

She grabbed his shoulders and spun him back around. "You saw that too."

He nodded. "That's what I saw that night in Vegas." His look was loaded with meaning.

"Isabel told you about my flash, didn't she?"

He didn't say anything, but Liz could tell from his look that he knew.

"So it's the same flash?" she asked.

"Looks like it," he shrugged. "I have no idea why you saw what you saw Liz; it's just another part of the mystery, I guess."

"So you didn't send that to me?" Liz asked. Max simply shook his head slowly. "Max, have you ever gotten flashes about things that happen in the future?" Liz's brain was spinning furiously.

Max shrugged. "I haven't, but Michael says he has."

Michael perked up when he heard his name and walked over to the duo. "I have what?"

"You've had flashes of things from the future," Max said still keeping his eyes trained on Liz.

Liz could feel Isabel and Maria's eyes on her. _This is getting too deep._

Michael shrugged. "Yeah it's happened a few times. Nothing too big though," he looked at Liz and then at Max. Liz seemed uninterested, so he let it drop and settled himself on Maria's couch.

"Didn't I tell you not to put your feet on the furniture without taking off your shoes?" Maria scolded. Liz laughed; Maria was using the same tone she'd use on a child.

Max sighed. The moment was ruined. He felt sure that he was finally going to learn something useful about the flashes. Liz had asked about the future. Was it really a flash from the future? He quickly discounted the idea.

It felt like something that had happened in the past. He went and stood at the window pondering the connection that he and Liz had just shared. There were simply too many questions and not enough answers.


	14. Chapter 14: Missing Heart

**Disclaimer: I haven't put one up for a bit, but in the interest of not being sued, I don't own it!**

**A/N: WOW! People are still reading the story! Happy Dance Thanks for all the reveiws. I'm so happy you guys are enjoying it and giving me feedback. As the last chapter proves, I do read and listen to what you guys say. This is a pretty short chapter. I orginally was going to put it with Chapter 13, but decided to break it up since the other one was getting long-ish.**

**Enjoy!**

**Chapter 14**

After she had left Maria's, Liz had driven around town for a few hours. Her last stop before heading home had been the High School. It was deserted for the summer and she spent some time wandering around the campus remembering what life had been like…before…everything. When Liz arrived home, she found a note on her dresser from Jeremy. He'd gone to Las Cruces with her dad to pick up some supplies.

She was relieved that she would have a few hours to herself before he came home. She didn't know what to do. How could she continue the charade that she loved him? She sat on her bed feeling morose as she cradled an old stuffed bear to her chest. Her eyes darted around the room and finally rested on one of the brick walls.

Behind one of those bricks was her journal. She'd begun writing in it after Max had saved her. She unconsciously rested her hand on two inches below her ribs; the same spot where Max had healed her so long ago. She sighed and ambled over to the wall. She'd consciously made the decision to leave her journal behind when she left Roswell. Something told her it wasn't safe. Then again, she told herself, it wasn't safe now. She reached out and slowly worked the brick free. As she reached her hand into the dark space, she felt cobwebs break over her fingers. She shuddered at the feeling and quickly pulled out her journal.

It looked as she remembered it looking. It had a musty odor from being unused for so long. She peaked around the room to be sure that there was no one around and headed for her balcony. Liz sat on her lounge chair and slowly opened the journal. It crackled as she opened it and she stared at her familiar handwriting. 'I'm Liz Parker and five days ago I died. After that, things got a little weird.' She smiled remembering that day so long ago. "Things have only gotten weirder," she murmured to herself as she began to flip through various entries.

She marveled at her own indomitable spirit as she reread her entry after Max had told her he needed a step back. She had been so sure that Max was meant to be with her. She wasn't going to let him go easily. _What had happened to that girl?_ _When had things gotten so complicated?_ She flipped through a few more pages and found the answer. 'I'm Liz Parker and I now know the future.' Her entry had begun. Liz smiled wishing she really had known the future. If she had, they would have found a way to defeat the skins without Tess. Alex would be alive, and Max would not have left her.

She continued to read: 'finally he told me the future is yet to be determined, but I know my future is set. I'll love Max Evans until I die, and he will hate me for the rest of his life.'

Liz heaved a heavy sigh and flipped through the rest of the journal. She only skimmed the last few entries. She didn't need to read them, she knew what they said. The thoughts and feelings recorded there had been branded into her soul. She set the journal down and paced around the balcony trying to stem the tears that were creeping up on her. The tears receded and she climbed inside and grabbed a pen off her desk and settled herself back in her chair.

'I'm Liz Parker and I wonder what happened to the girl I was,' she started to write. She wrote about everything, filling up page after page trying to make sense of the last 4 years of her life. Finally she poured forth all her conflicting feelings about Jeremy and Max.

'And I know now that I still love Max. And what I've been missing all these years has been my heart.' She concluded. The sun was starting to set as she quickly closed her journal and returned it to its spot, wedging the brick tightly back in place. She couldn't risk anyone finding it, ever.

She sat in her desk chair and stared blindly at the wall for a few moments. She felt spent, yet her mind continued to whirl. After a while she shook her head and picked up the phone. After a few rings, she heard Philip Evan's voice. "Hi Phillip, this is Liz Parker calling. Is Michael there?"

**A/N: (Yeah, another one!) No, it's not the computer or your browser... that's the end of the chapter. I TOLD you it was short! I have a feeling some of my regular reveiwers aren't going to like where I stopped. It is kind of an odd place to stop, but really, I want to see what you guys think about Liz calling MICHAEL of all people. It'll be entertaining to see what my resident conspiracy theorists think. Wink So go reveiw if you want to entertain me!**


	15. Chapter 15: Out

**A/N: WOW! Thanks for all the reveiws! I'm so happy to see that everyone's enjoying the story. (Even if the last chapter _was_ too short in everyone's opinion.) **

**Not much to say, other than this chapter's long, so at least that's one gripe you guys won't have. ****I can't however, promise that you'll like WHY Liz called Michael, of all people...**

**Enjoy!**

**Disclaimer: Don't own it. But you already knew that, right?**

**Chapter 15**

Michael was listening to Metallica when he heard a sharp rap on his door. He heaved himself off the bed and flung the door open. Philip Evans smiled and handed him the phone. "It's Liz," he said as he walked down the hall. Michael frowned. He had no idea why Liz would be calling him.

"Hello?" he barked gruffly. He could barely hear her soft greeting over his music, so he turned down the sound. "What's up?"

"I'm calling in a favor Michael," she said.

"I owe you a favor?" He was trying to rack his brains for what he could have possibly been indebted to her for.

She laughed. "I suppose you could say that…" When he didn't reply she continued. "Can we meet tomorrow?"

Michael's suspicions were doing double duty and he began to pace the room. "Why not tonight?" he asked.

"Alright…tonight," Liz agreed. "Where do you want to meet?"

Michael's mind flew to possible destinations. None of them seemed right. Finally he said, "The old quarry."

"It's pretty dark out there Michael; how am I going to find you?"

"I'll pick you up." He figured if this was some FBI set up he would be able to stay in control of things if he was driving. He hung up the phone and reached for his leather jacket.

"I'm heading out," he declared to the house as he grabbed the keys to Max and Isabel's newly bought mustang. Max peeked out of the living room where he and Iz were watching a movie.

"Where are you going?" he asked.

"Out," said Michael as strode out the door.

Liz was waiting in the back alley when he drove up. She'd seen Jeremy pull in with her dad minutes before and she didn't want to have to explain where she was going. "Let's go," she demanded before she even buckled her seat belt. Michael gunned the engine and they took off into the night.

The ride to the quarry was silent. Even before they had left for Antar, Liz and Michael rarely spent time alone. He was too busy trying to find out their secrets to spend time with her. In fact, she suspected he thought she distracted Max from the answers. From the faint light in the car she could see he was nervous. Actually, she could feel it. "You can trust me Michael," she said quietly, not sure why she said it.

His head whipped around to face her for a moment. _How the hell did she know I doubted her?_ "Can I?" His voice was rough.

"I'm the same Liz Parker I was before you left, and you told me you trusted me then. You can trust me now."

He didn't say anything. Somewhere inside, he knew that Liz was trustworthy but after being betrayed so badly it was hard to fully trust anyone but Max and Isabel. Hell, if he was honest, there were times he barely trusted them! He pulled off the highway onto a dirt road. They jostled along the uneven road until they hit a clearing. He killed the engine and turned to face her. "So, what's this all about?" he asked impatiently.

Liz nervously tucked her hair behind her ears. "Max told me today you've had flashes about the future?" she began tentatively.

"Yeah so…"

"How did you know they were flashes of the future?"

"Because I knew they weren't memories," he replied in typical Michael fashion.

Liz sighed. She realized she would have to take a different tactic if she was going to have his cooperation. "Michael, over the past few weeks I've had several flashes that I can't explain. I'm pretty sure that some of them at least are from…" She trailed off unsure what future her flashes were from.

"The future?" he supplied.

Liz nodded. "I've never had flashes like this before Michael, and I need your help."

Michael shifted in his seat. The only flashes he had ever heard about Liz having had been when she and Max made out. He hoped she wasn't going to ask him to kiss her. Max would kill him if he even heard they'd been out here alone, let alone kissed…come to think of it, so would Maria.

"I think maybe I'm getting these flashes because Max changed me. I need to know if I can control them, or if I might have other powers associated with them," Liz said in a rush. She could again feel Michael's discomfort and wondered if it was a mistake to ask him to help.

"You don't want me to kiss you, do you?"

Liz couldn't help herself; she laughed. "What would make you think I'd want you to kiss me?"

Michael stammered and could feel himself turning red. He was grateful that it was dark and she couldn't see his face. "Well, uh last time you had flashes, what where you doing?"

Liz immediately understood what he was referring to and felt a flush creep up her neck. "I haven't had flashes like that for a long time Michael. Mostly now, I get them when I feel strongly about something, or I touch something."

Michael nodded. "You're getting latent flashes." He began to explain, but was cut off.

"Yeah Max told me about those, but latent flashes wouldn't work on future events, so I'm kind of stumped."

"If you've already talked to Max about it, why are you bugging me?" He said in a slightly annoyed tone.

"Because all Max knows about future flashes is that you've had them. I thought maybe we could compare our experiences and see if there's something in common with them. Also, I want to know if you can get flashes from people consciously."

Michael raised his eyebrows. He was intrigued with her approach. "So you want me to discuss my flashes with you, then you'll tell me yours, and then we'll sing and dance?"

His sarcasm was lost on Liz who said, "you don't have to tell me what the flashes were about. I only want to know what you were thinking, doing or feeling right before so that we can find similarities." She was hoping she wouldn't have to tell Michael about her wedding and future Liz flashes. She would if it would secure his help, but she'd much rather not.

Michael shrugged his agreement. "The first time I had a future flash was right before Tess came to town…" He began.

Liz glanced at her watch. They'd been gone almost two hours and it was almost 10 o'clock. About the only thing they'd managed to find in common with their flashes was that 'things were intense' before they had a flash. It wasn't very helpful. Liz sighed. "This is harder than I thought it would be. It's late, we should head back."

"Yeah, I'm sorry I wasn't more help." Michael started the car and turned it back towards the highway.

"Actually it's helped; at least I know I'm not crazy."

Michael smirked. "The day you go crazy, we're all in trouble," he joked. When Liz didn't reply, Michael began to search for something to say. "You said you wanted to know about consciously receiving flashes?"

"That's right. I was going to ask you if you could get flashes from someone if you wanted to."

"I don't think so, but you can form a connection with someone and read their thoughts," Michael replied. "Of course Max would say it's an invasion of privacy and shouldn't be tried." Michael tried his best to imitate his best friend.

Liz laughed. "Yes he would. But he's not here."

Michael snorted and said, "true."

Liz grinned. "Can you do it?"

Michael looked straight ahead wondering where Liz was going to go with this. "Do what?"

"The connection thing."

"Yep," he replied.

Liz was silent for a minute. "When you form a connection, does the other person know you're doing it?"

"Not always."

"Can you teach me to do it?" Liz asked.

Michael swerved into the other lane and back. He had not expected that. "Teach you?" He echoed hoping he hadn't heard her right.

"Yeah. Can you?" Liz's voice was full of excitement and hope. It made Michael groan.

"Why don't you ask Isabel, or even better, ask Max?"

"Max wouldn't let me do it, and you know it." Liz shot him a determined glare. "And Isabel would just tell Max. You know those two can't keep secrets from each other."

"What makes you think I can?"

"My journal," Liz said simply.

Michael wanted to crawl underneath his seat. It wasn't one of his finer moments when he'd stolen Liz's diary after he'd seen her writing in it. In fact he'd felt slightly foolish after he'd read the damn thing and learned about her, and how she viewed them. He'd returned it only after Max had told them it was missing. The terror in Isabel's eyes and the concern in Max's voice was the only thing that convinced him to even give it back. Michael ran his hands through his already messy hair. "You've got me. Is this the favor I owe you for not telling Max I took it?"

"I'd rather say you're helping a friend, but if you want to call it even, you help me, we're even."

Michael pulled the car into the alley behind the Crashdown. "You have a deal," he said quietly. "Let's just hope it doesn't get back to Max…"

"It won't. We don't even know if I'll be able to do anything anyway," she assured him with a grin. Michael nodded. "Thanks Michael." She shut the door behind her and watched as he drove out of the alley.

"Hey," she heard Jeremy call to her. She looked up to see him illuminated from the lights on her balcony. "Where were you?"

She took a deep breath. As she climbed the ladder up to him, her mind frantically tried to find a plausible explanation for her being out so late with Michael, of all people. When she reached the top, she was pulled into a warm embrace and kissed. She broke the kiss quickly. "Michael is having problems with Maria… again… I promised Maria I'd try to talk to him, so I cornered him earlier today and we had a little heart to heart."

Jeremy looked at her skeptically. "Do they always do this?"

Liz sighed. "I swear when I lived here I felt like a camp counselor." She silently begged her two dear friends' pardon for her exaggeration.

Jeremy just chuckled and threw an arm around her shoulder. "Sounds like you had a full day."

Liz smiled. "I did. How was yours?" The headed back into her room and she listened to his day as she got ready for bed. When they slipped under the sheets that night and he cuddled next to her, she imagined it was Max and eventually drifted to sleep.

When Michael arrived home, Max was waiting for him. "Have fun?" he asked.

Michael shrugged and headed to his room, depositing the car keys on a whatnot as he went.

Max followed him upstairs and leaned against the doorjamb of Michael's room. "Were you with Maria?" He inquired pointedly.

Michael immediately knew something was wrong. "Did she come by?" He tried to sound disinterested.

Max nodded slightly. "She said you had plans to see a movie?"

Michael rolled his eyes and muttered irritably. He'd forgotten about catching the late night movie with her. He glanced at his watch. The movie started an hour ago. "Was she pissed?"

"Yep," Max folded his arms across his chest. "Where were you Michael?"

Michael merely grimaced. "Can you cover me? I'm going to head over there…" He tried to get through the door, but Max simply stood there.

"Now is not the time to be running off, Michael."

Michael knew he didn't mean to see Maria. "Maxwell, as much as I respect that you are our leader, my personal life is still personal. I don't ask you about Liz, so don't ask me about this." Michael wished he hadn't said that when he saw the look on Max's face.

"There's nothing to ask about Michael."

Michael shook his head and ran a hand through his hair. "I promise Maxwell, it's nothing dangerous…" _I hope_, he added to himself. "Now if I don't go apologize to Maria, we could be talking serious bodily harm." He cocked his eyebrows at his best friend as if to say 'we know that wouldn't be pleasant.'

Max took a deep breath. "You're sure?"

"Trust me Maxwell," he said as he brushed past him and headed for his dirt bike. He was not looking forward to facing the wrath of Maria DeLucia. He had until he arrived at her apartment to figure out an excuse that would pacify her. He wondered if she would buy the line that it was essential to his survival…


	16. Chapter 16: Neopotism and Flowers

**A/N: It's offical, I'm a MORON! It's taken me this long to figure out how to insert a divider in my chapters. How sad is that? Thanks for all the reveiws, I love reading them! This chapter is what some of you would call a filler. I actually like it, even though it doesn't really further the plot. I think it gives insight into Liz and Jeremy's personal life. It also builds on life in the Evan's household, which was something I always enjoyed seeing in the series. Hope you guys like it as much as I do!**

**Chapter 16**

Liz woke the next morning in Jeremy's arms, but that wasn't the first thing on her mind. She could hear her cell phone ringing angrily and she cursed whoever it was that was waking her up. She shoved back the covers and picked up the phone. "Hello?" she answered groggily.

"Liz we have to talk! There is something really wrong!" Maria practically screamed in her ear.

Liz looked at the clock it read 6:45. "It's too early for this," she moaned to herself as she stepped into the living room leaving a blissfully ignorant Jeremy to his rest. "Calm down Maria, what's the problem?"

"Michael came over last night and _apologized_ to me!"

"What was he apologizing for?" Liz asked slightly confused.

"He stood me up for a movie, but that's beside the point. I mean he came over, and apologized for standing me up. Since when does Michael Guerin apologize to ANYONE? What's worse is he brought flowers!"

Liz tried to contain a chuckle. "Isn't that what guys are supposed to bring when they stand you up?"

"Not Michael." Liz thought Maria sounded incredibly worried. "Michael didn't even apologize for leaving the planet, but he brings me flowers when he skips out on a movie? What is that? I'm telling you Liz, there's something very wrong."

As the conversation progressed, Liz realized why Michael had missed the movie. He had been with her. She silently apologized to Maria and mentally abused Michael. "So did he tell you why he stood you up?"

"He said something about it being essential to his existence or some other crap; like I would believe that excuse." She said lightly. Liz chuckled and thought how ironic it was that he hadn't been that far from the truth. "See, even you know that's a half assed excuse!" Maria moaned.

"Do you think it's possible that maybe he really was sorry that he missed your date?"

Maria laughed dryly; "only if he's a pod person…oh wait scratch that, he is one. No, I'm sure there's something going on."

Liz sighed. "Tell you what, I'll pick up some doughnuts and come over in a bit and we can figure out what's up."

"Thank you, girlfriend!" Maria exclaimed. "See you in a bit." She broke the connection, and Liz was left standing in her living room looking at her cell phone in amusement.

She tiptoed back to her room to find a half awake Jeremy looking up at her. "It's too early for you to be up. Come back to bed."

Liz smiled "I wish I could, but Maria is being…well Maria. I'm heading over to calm her down." She explained as she grabbed a skirt and tee shirt out of her closet and headed over to the bathroom to take a quick shower. She placed her things on the toilet and then realized she hadn't even said good morning to her fiancé. She kicked her self mentally and remembered that she had to act normal if he wasn't going to get suspicious. "Sorry," she muttered to him as she came back into the room and gave him a quick kiss. "I guess I'm not awake yet. Good morning."

He smiled and pulled her down next to him as he kissed her more deeply. Suddenly, Liz found herself with her back on the bed and Jeremy tenderly laying kisses along her neck and collarbone. "Jeremy," she complained. "I'll never get out of here if…"

He gave her another lingering kiss on the mouth and then smiled against her lips. "Now it's a good morning," he said as he released her. Fighting the urge to shudder, she raised her eyebrows and tried to give him a playful look as she headed back to the bathroom and shut the door firmly behind her.

* * *

Max walked into the kitchen the next morning to find Isabel pouring over the classified section of the newspaper. "What's up?"

Isabel looked up. "Oh, trying to see if there are any jobs in this town that aren't demeaning."

"Did you look under retired royalty?"

Isabel shot him a dirty look. "Very funny." She returned to the paper.

Max stood behind her and began to read over her shoulder. "Here's a good one," he pointed to one of the ads, "dog walker." He smirked as Isabel hit him in the stomach.

"What about you, Your Majesty, what are you planning on doing for work? We may be royalty, but we can't exactly use Antarian money here...and even if we could, the exchange rate would probably suck." She got up from the table and poured a glass of orange juice spiked with Tabasco sauce and sat back down.

"I was thinking I'd see if Brody would hire me back."

Isabel had just taken a sip of juice and almost spit it back out. "Are you serious?"

Max nodded. "What better place could I work than the UFO museum? People get their first contact, and I get paid."

Isabel rolled her eyes as Diane Evans walked in. "Get paid for what?" she asked innocently.

"Your son," Isabel gestured at Max, "wants to work at the UFO museum again."

"That's great Max," Diane said and opened the refrigerator. A moment later she shut it and said "did you say you want to work at the UFO museum? Max honey, are you sure that's a good idea?" She asked meaningfully.

Isabel chuckled and turned her attention back to her newspaper as Max leaned on the counter. "Why wouldn't it be?"

"I don't know, it just seems like you should be avoiding that type of thing," Diane said nervously. "I mean, you are what you are…"

"I'm no different than when I worked there before." Max reassured her as he gave his mom a quick hug. "Don't worry. I know what I'm doing."

"Grown alien working at the UFO museum…" Isabel muttered.

"Are you looking for a job too honey?" Diane asked as she began to prepare omelets for everyone.

Isabel nodded. "Everything I'm finding is pretty dull though."

Diane smiled bemusedly. "Yes I imagine it would be. I don't know if you're interested, but your father recently was talking about hiring a new secretary."

Isabel set down her newspaper. "Really?" she pondered the idea.

"Ah nepotism, what would we do without it?" Max joked as Michael stalked into the kitchen in a wife beater and a pair of boxers.

He opened the refrigerator and pulled out the carton of orange juice. He was about to take a swig from the carton when he looked up at the three pairs of eyes that were watching him. He gave an annoyed grunt and pulled a cup out of the cupboard and poured himself a glass adding a liberal amount of Tabasco sauce. He finally took a sip and then turned around. "What?" He demanded.

Isabel looked away and pretended to be fascinated with the classifieds again while Diane resumed her attention to her cooking. "How'd it go with Maria last night?" Max asked casually.

Michael grunted in disgust. "She wouldn't even accept my flowers," he grumbled.

"You brought her FLOWERS! Who are you, and what have you done with our Michael?" Isabel demanded.

"That's what she said." Michael shrugged in feigned annoyance.

"You have to admit, it's a bit out of character," Isabel replied. "What possessed you to bring her flowers?"

Michael cast an annoyed glance at Diane and then back at Isabel. He still didn't feel comfortable with the Evans knowing so much about him. Isabel merely rolled her eyes and continued to pester him. "Was it because you stood her up last night? Where were you anyway? I don't blame her for being mad."

Michael just looked blankly at her and sat at the table. Max sat next to him and studied his friend. Whatever the reason for his absence last night, he wasn't going to talk about it.

Michael simply looked at Isabel and smiled. He loved getting her worked up. It didn't happen often so he savored every minute. He loved getting Maria worked up too. Maybe that's why I got her the flowers, he thought to himself and he continued to listen to Isabel's ranting.


	17. Chapter 17: First Contact

**Disclaimer: Same old story: I don't own it!**

**A/N: Thanks to all who are reveiwing. I appreciate your kind words. There's some Michael/Liz interaction in this chapter, which I really enjoyed writing. Also there's a bit of Max and Liz at the end, which I'm sure y'all will enjoy reading.**

**Just remember, in order to effect change, one must first speak. (In other words, reveiw! Then I can decide how to improve the story!)**

**'Till next time!**

**ZKS**

**Chapter 17**

It took several days for Liz and Michael to meet again. Liz had started working at the Crashdown, which was taking up a lot of her time and Michael was trying to figure out some way out of their agreement. So far he hadn't found a way.

That morning, Liz had finally managed to sleep in later than Jeremy and she was relishing it. Of course, the fact that he started working that morning and needed to leave at seven had something to do with it. When she awoke, there was a note on her pillow that said _'Dear Heart- I'll will miss you all day. XXOO Jeremy'._ She read the note twice before tossing it in the wastebasket.

Liz rubbed her eyes as she stumbled out of bed and nearly screamed when she realized Michael was peering in her window. He smiled as he quickly unlocked her window and climbed inside. Liz bounced back on the bed and glared at him. "How long were you out there?"

"Too long," he muttered and flung the door to her closet open. "We have work to do," he announced.

Liz shoved him out of her closet as he began to rifle through her clothes. "Alright already," she exclaimed. "Just go wait at the Crashdown and I'll be down in about twenty minutes."

Michael cocked a skeptical eyebrow at her. "Twenty minutes?"

"Twenty minutes," she confirmed.

Twenty-Five minutes later, Liz came through the back door of the Crashdown dressed in a pair of khaki shorts and a red tank top. Liz found Michael amid the packed café placidly eating pancakes.

He glanced at his watch and back at Liz. "I'm impressed. Only five minutes late. Maria's usually fifteen or twenty."

Liz rolled her eyes as she watched him douse his pancakes in more Tabasco sauce. "So do I have time to eat breakfast?" she asked dryly as he shoved a huge forkful of food into his mouth. He shrugged, and Liz went back into the kitchen and poured herself a bowl of cereal. She quickly inhaled the cereal on the dilapidated couch in the break room.

She headed back to the busy café and made a quick stop at the coffee pot to fill a mug to the brim with hot coffee. As she returned the pot to its place, she heard her dad come up behind her. "Morning Lizzie," he greeted her.

"Morning dad," she gave him a quick hug.

"Where are you off to this morning?"

Liz took a quick sip of coffee. "Michael wants my help to plan some surprise thing for Maria, so we're going to spend the day planning." She quickly turned away hoping that he wouldn't ask any questions.

Jeff Parker grinned. "Well if anyone is good at planning, it's you. Have a good day sweetie." He left to greet other customers as Liz plopped down beside Michael as he finished his last few bites of his breakfast. She finished the last of her coffee as he stood.

"Let's go," Michael commanded. Liz followed him out the door.

She stopped only a few feet outside the cafe and looked skeptically at Michael's dirt bike that was parked in front of them. _There is no way I'm riding on THAT!_ "Is that safe?" She asked as he straddled the bike and put on his helmet.

"Not sure, wanna find out?" His voice was laced with amusement as he held a spare helmet out to her. Liz looked around, trying to figure out another option, but came up empty. She reluctantly put on the helmet and climbed on behind him. The engine roared to life and they raced down the main street with Liz clinging to him for dear life.

When they reached the old quarry, Liz was physically shaking. She was sure Michael drove even faster than normal because he knew she didn't like it. She yanked off her helmet and strode away from him taking deep breaths and trying not to show how little she liked riding dirt bikes.

After a few moments, she turned to see Michael leaning up against the bike watching her. "Did you feel the connection when we were driving?" he asked with a bemused smirk.

Liz gasped in annoyance. "You did NOT!"

"Sure did. Don't worry; now that I know you don't like to go fast, I'll slow down a bit." Liz narrowed her eyes and hurled her helmet at Michael's head. He ducked and it landed several feet behind him. "Lesson number one," he began, "don't get caught. You think you're pissed now, just imagine how you'd feel if I heard or saw something really personal. If Jeremy catches you, it'll be ten times worse."

Liz took a challenging step towards him. "Who says I'm going to try this on Jeremy?"

Michael simply looked at her knowingly. "So you aren't going to try to see what he knows?"

"I didn't say that."

"If there's something I've learned the past few years Liz, its use the skills you have. If you can do this, you'd be stupid not to use it."

Liz nodded. "So where do we begin?"

Michael grinned and held out his hands. "We form a connection."

Liz absently wiped off the milkshake machine as she considered the last few days. To classify them as strange would be a gross understatement. Never would she have imagined that she, Liz Parker, would be sneaking off anywhere with Michael Guerin. Yet that is exactly what she'd been doing whenever she had a spare moment. She was surprised and slightly proud of how successful she'd been with forming connections. Once she figured out how to focus her mind, it had almost been easy. _Of course Michael probably helps…_ She had just finished cleaning the machine when she heard the bell on the front door ring. Immediately, she felt his presence and grinned.

She closed her eyes for a moment to focus her thoughts. Then with all her might she sought him out. She immediately felt him exclaim. _Geeze! Liz I swear, you're as subtle as a train wreck, tone it down will you! _She let out a soft giggle and turned to see Michael slouched in one of the chairs at the counter looking extremely annoyed.

_I wanted to see if I could do it when you weren't expecting me._ She explained sending out a silent apology as she broke the connection. Michael's face relaxed. "So what can I get you?" She asked brightly as if nothing had happened.

Michael scowled and grabbed a menu. "First Contact? Is that new?" He pointed to the new item.

Liz nodded. "Jeremy's made a few suggestions, and Dad's taken some of them… that's one of them."

"Is it any good?" Michael eyed her.

Liz shrugged. "It's the usual fare; fat and grease. Want to try it? I'm sure it isn't too bad with Tabasco sauce." She winked at him.

Michael ignored her comment and said, "Sure, why not."

Liz jotted down his order and headed for the kitchen pick up window. Since it was her break time, and the café was slow, she headed to the back and sank to the couch, her throbbing feet thanking her. She closed her eyes and thought, _stealth_. She focused her mind and quickly recognized Michael's distinct thought pattern. She edged closer. _It's almost like trying to open a gift without tearing the wrapping paper_ she thought as she slowly allowed herself to focus on the thoughts that began to float her way.

He was thinking about Maria. Not that Liz was surprised; she knew how much Maria meant to him. She could feel his guilt at not being able to spend more time with her because of the work that he and Liz were doing. Liz mentally agreed and thought they should plan some kind of surprise for her to make up for it. Suddenly she felt his thoughts freeze. _Liz?_ He called out in his mind.

_Yeah? _She answered in kind.

She felt him swear. _How long have you been in here?_ He demanded.

_You were thinking of Maria. Did you feel me come in? How did you know I was here?_

_You told me we should do something to make up for us being "occupied."_

Liz tried to figure out how he had heard her thoughts when they hadn't been addressed him. Michael felt what she was thinking and explained. _Next time keep your mind blank. When you respond to what the other person is thinking, that's what gives you away_.

Liz thanked him and started to head back into the dining area when she felt a jolt of electricity. The excitement and anxiety that coursed through her explained it all: Max was in the building. She felt Michael's insinuation that both she and Max were hopeless when she felt Max connect with Michael. _Shoot!_ She exclaimed to herself as she tried to slowly back out of Michael's mind. She stopped just at the edge when she felt Max's thoughts. He somehow knew that Michael was connected with Liz and he was furious at Michael's invasion of her privacy.

Michael didn't seem particularly concerned, which was making Max even angrier. Liz was about to chuckle when she remembered what Michael had said about not responding so she cleared her mind and nudged closer to the boys' connection.

_Stooping to this is low Michael. How many times do I have to tell you that she can be trusted?_ Max was saying.

_I never said that I didn't trust her._ Michael replied.

_You didn't have to, what you're doing says it all._

Max's thoughts laced with venom. Liz slowly peaked through the window into the dining area and saw what appeared to be one intense staring contest between the two best friends. She very carefully broke the connection. It took her a moment to reorient herself. After the feeling passed, she was overwhelmed with guilt. She'd railroaded Michael into helping her and now Max was bawling him out for doing what she asked.

She quickly left the break room, hoping to save Michael some discomfort. The look she saw on Max's face would have made most people wilt. Michael, however, appeared impassive. Her guilt returned along with a rush of sympathy towards the innocent Michael. She hurried over to them.

Max noticed Liz the second she entered the room. She looked fantastic, even in the ridiculous alien themed costume. He quickly broke the connection with Michael with one final warning to stay away from Liz's mind as she approached. "Hey," he murmured softly, as if he was talking to a scared animal.

"Hey yourself," she replied as she sent a conspiratorial wink at Michael. "What can I get you?"

"How about an Alien Blast," Max said with a mock serious facial expression.

Liz rolled her eyes. "Don't mock me, I didn't name the food," she said as she headed back to the milkshake machine feeling nervous and uncomfortable. She wondered if Max had detected her connection with Michael or not. She didn't think he had, but considering it was the first time she'd ever tried hiding her presence she was uncertain. She also felt distinctly like a voyeur. What she was learning to do was powerful. If it wasn't for the fact that she needed to know what Jeremy knew, she would have never imagined eavesdropping on someone's private thoughts.

She was distracted from her thoughts when the cook declared Michael's order was up. She finished scooping Max's milkshake into a glass, and picked up the order. As she deposited their two orders in front of them, she noticed the tension in the air. She hoped they weren't having another silent conversation. She didn't want to butt back in to hear what they were saying because she still felt guilty from overhearing the last one, but she felt the need to protect Michael. She sighed audibly which brought Max's soulful eyes to her face.

"Are you okay?" he asked.

Liz nodded. "It's just been a bit stressful with everything," she tried to pass it off. Michael smirked and shot her a knowing glace before directing his attention to his food.

Max nodded and took a sip of his shake. He could almost feel her mind screaming at him to form a connection. It was weird. In the past, any connection with Liz would flare to life with little warning and it was usually brief and intense. What he was feeling was almost like a longing. He frowned and tried to ignore this new and fairly unsettling feeling. After the lecture he'd just given Michael, he couldn't very well do exactly what he told his friend not to. "Anything I can do?" he asked Liz hoping nothing was wrong.

"Not really." Liz smiled tightly. "I'll be fine."

Max stayed in his seat long after his drink was finished. It was slow, so Liz spent a lot of time talking with him. Michael ignored them both until he was ready to leave. As he followed Liz to the cash register he whispered to her, "same time, same place?"

Liz nodded, took his bill and rang him up. Michael flashed a quick smile and disappeared into the bright daylight. Liz checked on a few of her other customers before seating herself next to Max. "So Iz told me you're going to start working at the UFO center again," she said when it appeared that Max wasn't going to say anything.

He nodded. "I start tomorrow."

"I haven't been in there in years. Does it look the same?" Liz grinned playfully.

Max shrugged. "There are a few new exhibits, but for the most part it's the same."

"Maybe I'll come by and you can show them to me." Liz immediately regretted saying it when she noticed the grin that quickly chased itself across Max's face. "Oh, I think one of my customers needs something." She hopped off the barstool and made another round checking drink levels and asking people if they needed anything. All the while she berated herself for flirting with Max. It was simply inappropriate. Liz could barely look at him when he left a few minutes later.


	18. Chapter 18:Ultimate Form of Voyeurism

**A/N: New Chapter! Enjoy. Reveiw if you love it, hate it, or just wanna bug me...**

**Disclaimer: Due to copyright and IPR laws, I gotta say, I don't own the characters...**

**Chapter 18**

Liz was practically bursting with excitement when she met Michael at the old quarry a few hours later. "Do you think he knew I was there?" She asked, referring to her recent foray into eavesdropping.

Michael shrugged. "Probably not; I thought you'd left when he made the connection. If I didn't feel you, I doubt Maxwell did. He wouldn't have said half of what he did if he knew you were listening."

Liz felt her cheeks burn as she remembered the way Max had talked about her. "Yeah you're probably right," she said softly. "So I was thinking we can continue to work on stealth today, but I think we need to find another subject."

Michael's eyes narrowed. "What are you thinking of Liz, or should I say who?"

"I was thinking I've been working with you, but how do I know if working with uh, non Antarians is any different?" she finished diplomatically.

"You want to see if what the difference is between an alien-alien connection and a human-alien connection?"

"Yep," Liz added, "I was thinking I might start with Kyle."

Michael snorted and looked away. When he returned his gaze to Liz's face he realized she was serious. "You are not going to eavesdrop on the King of Jocks. Who knows what havoc he would cause if he found out? Why not Maria?"

"Do you think she'd approve?"

Michael grimaced. "Probably not, but I doubt Kyle would either."

"I'd have to ask him before I tried, but I think he'll be willing."

Michael felt his jaw drop. "And what makes you think that? He's terrified of our powers."

"He used to be, but things have changed. Besides it's me and he trusts me."

"Can you trust him?"

Liz was silent for a moment. "Implicitly," she finally stated.

Michael gave up arguing because he knew Liz was right; she was going to have to practice on someone human before she began spying on Jeremy. He still couldn't believe that she and Kyle were close enough that she'd ask him this. Then a vaugue memory about a rumor he'd heard came to him. Someone had mentioned that Liz and Kyle were sleeping together. The only reason he even remembered it was because of Maria's reaction to the news. She'd denied if vehemently and was practically in tears because of how upset she'd imagined Liz would be when she found out. The funny thing was he didn't remember seeing Liz upset about it. The thought occurred to him that maybe it was true. It would certainly explain a lot of things that never added up to him.

Michael was silent for several minutes after Liz declared her trust in Kyle. Liz wondered what he was thinking and debated forming a connection. When she remembered that practicing connections was the whole reason they were there, she pushed aside her reservations and tried to enter his mind as unobtrusively as possible. He was thinking about her and Kyle sleeping together! The thought alone made her sick. The fact that he had decided it must have happened sent her over the edge. _I never slept with Kyle,_ she defended herself.

Michael returned her gaze. _I can see where this could become a problem. When this is all over, if I ever catch you in here without warning, Parker, look out! _Michael threatened.

_Ditto,_ Liz spat back I_ don't particularly like being here myself. And just to clarify I don't trust Kyle because I slept with him. I trust him because he got me through the worst years of my life. He's reliable._

Michael's thoughts betrayed that he was unconvinced, but he let the subject drop. An hour later the pair went their separate ways. Michael picked up some flowers and headed to Maria's chuckling as he remembered Liz's mock pleas not to. Liz headed over to Kyle's to clear his consent. She knew of his aversion to "alien voodoo," but she was positive he would help.

* * *

Kyle was silently swearing as Liz finished her explanation of what she wanted from him. "Isn't that like the ultimate form of voyeurism?" he asked, still trying to absorb what she was asking of him.

Liz ducked her head. "I suppose so. But Kyle, I have to be sure it's safe for me to do this on Jeremy. It'd be over for all of us if he caught me."

Kyle's mind flashed back to the last time she'd asked him for a tremendous favor. He should have known it was going to be complicated. He let out a groan. "I need to meditate on this. Can I talk to you later?"

Liz smiled and nodded. She knew he would help. Meditating was his way of saying yes. "Sure. Do you have any questions before I take off?"

Kyle shyly ran his fingers through his hair. "How much do you see during this connection thing anyways?"

"Normally I don't see anything. I just know what you're thinking and feeling at the moment. But I guess I should warn you, there have been a few times when I've been connected with Max that I've had flashes."

"Yeah that's my other question. If your connection is so much stronger with Evans, why the hell are you asking me?"

Liz sighed. "Because Max would be furious if he knew I was doing this."

Kyle shook his head. "Liz I swear, why don't you guys just go and make out already? Pissing him off isn't going to make him want you any more than he already does."

"Uh Kyle, do I have to remind you? I'm engaged!" Liz interjected.

"And we all know that's not going to last." Kyle rolled his eyes. "The guy's working in the white room. That's like the ultimate death sentence for the relationship. And we both know how you feel about Evans."

"Yeah, um well, Max and I haven't talked about it, so…" She trailed off unsure how to respond to Kyle's blunt but correct statements. Kyle simply looked at her steadily as she made her way towards the front door.

"I'll talk to you soon, okay Liz?" Kyle asked as he opened the front door for her.

She smiled. "Thanks Kyle. You're a real hero." She added as pulled him into a friendly hug.


	19. Chapter 19: Paranoia

**A/N: Happy Dance 101 reveiws! I'm a VERY happy writer right now! Hi new people! It's nice to see new ones reveiwing, along with the old. Please, keep it up. I enjoy reading all of your conspiracy theories. (Which I'm fairly sure will go rampant after this chapter...) Happy Reading.**

**A/N#2: So I'm a moron and I realized I hadn't fixed a few funky format stuff on this chapter as I was too excited about my reveiws. It's been fixed...**

**Disclaimer: I'm bored, do I have to keep stating the obvious? I don't own Roswell.**

**Chapter 19**

Isabel knew there was something wrong. Michael had barely been a presence in their house the past couple of days. Maria didn't know where he was sneaking off to, and Max had come home that day in a fury muttering revenge and death on his second in command. Isabel frowned as she continued to change her nail polish color to match her lipstick. The family was supposed to go out for a nice dinner tonight, and Michael was still AWOL.

Isabel walked into Max's room. He was listening to an old Counting Crows CD as he typed something out on his computer. Isabel took a quick glance over his shoulder and saw that he was making some kind of list. "What are you doing?" she asked as she leaned on the edge of his desk.

"Hey Iz," Max didn't look up. "I'm making a list of all the flashes Liz and I have seen. I was hoping if I had it in front of me, maybe we'd be able to make some sense of them."

"You two have had more flashes?" Isabel raised her eyebrows. She was surprised. She hadn't seen them alone together since the day Max had found out about who had killed Alex. They barely would look at each other in public, so how were they getting flashes?

"We've had a few. The one that keeps coming up though is the wedding. Neither of us can figure it out."

Isabel smiled tightly knowing that Liz knew exactly what the flash was. "What do you think it is?"

"I'd hoped maybe it was something from the future originally, but somehow it feels like it happened in the past, so I don't know." Max stared at the computer screen. The siblings sat in silence for a few moments pondering life, the universe and everything.

Isabel cleared her throat. "What's going on with you and Michael? I could have sworn I heard you plotting his death earlier." Max's face immediately darkened. Isabel felt her innards twist. "What did he do? Is he okay?"

"Oh he's fine, except his paranoia has gotten out of hand. He's been spying on Liz." Isabel could see Max clenching his jaw muscles.

"Spying on Liz, what do you mean? You mean like connecting with her!" Iz answered her own question. Max nodded and continued to work his jaw muscles. "How do you know?"

"I caught him doing it this afternoon."

Isabel brushed her hair off her face. "Does Liz know?" she asked as her face twisted in concern.

Max shook his head. "I told him to stay away from her, but I don't think he's going to listen to me."

"Someone should tell Liz." Isabel's voice was tight with concern.

"I know. I just don't know what to say. She seemed so stressed out this afternoon; I don't want to make it worse."

"So what do you want to do?"

"Kill Michael for being stupid," Max said only half in jest.

At that moment they heard the front door slam shut and Michael's heavy tread on the stairs. "I'll talk to him," Isabel stated as she left the room.

* * *

Michael was in a foul mood. Maria had pestered him most of the afternoon about where he was and what he had been doing the past few days. He could tell she was starting to come up with some pretty ridiculous conclusions, but he couldn't exactly tell her that he'd been helping her best friend get in touch with her alien side. What was worse is he had a really bad feeling about Liz using Kyle to test her skills. It was like a black cloud was hanging over him all day. His mood did not improve when he saw Isabel standing in front of his bedroom door with her hands on her hips. He vaguely thought she looked mad. "Not now Iz," he muttered as he entered his room.

"Yes, now." Isabel stood imperiously as she locked her eyes on his. "Max says you've been spying on Liz. How could you, Michael? She's your friend!"

Michael rolled his eyes. He had tried to work up a proper regret for teaching Liz how to form connections, but he couldn't. He loved that she was so eager and excited to learn. The fact that she was making such quick progress was exciting. He also felt that her plan to use her skills to spy on Jeremy was the best plan they had so far. Neither Isabel nor Max would dream of using their powers in such an intrusive way, but Liz seemed to understand it was necessary. Michael would have done it himself but his skill with connections wasn't nearly as strong as the others. In fact, Liz was almost better at it than he was now. He saw Isabel cross her arms and demand an answer from him. He sighed. He was going to have to say something. "She is my friend and I'm doing what I can to protect her."

"You sure picked a poor way to protect her. I don't think invading her thoughts would be considered a protection." Isabel glared at him.

Michael simply raised his eyebrows as if to say 'if only you knew'. He turned and pulled off his tee shirt throwing it on the bed as he rifled through his drawer for something to wear to dinner with the Evans. "Don't you have to get ready for dinner?" he asked as he pulled out a black shirt.

Isabel lifted her chin. She did not like being dismissed. "Michael, Max has already told you to leave her alone, and I'm going to do the same. If you don't, I'm going to tell her what you've been doing. And I don't think you want that."

Michael pulled his shirt over his head and met Isabel's malignant stare. "Do what you want, Iz. I'm just doing what I have to do." He stalked past her and slammed the door of the bathroom behind him.

Isabel was appalled. Michael was often impetuous and rash, but he had never completely disregarded others. There was something very wrong, she concluded. After she stared at the closed door of the bathroom for several moments she returned to her room. She had made a decision. She'd have to tell Liz what Michael was up to. Maybe she could even teach her how to block him.

* * *

The Evans family plus Michael were eating dinner at Senor Chow's. Isabel had a fake smile plastered on her face as she alternately looked worriedly at Max, and frustrated at Michael. The two boys hadn't said anything to each other since they had arrived at the restaurant. Max had perfected his death stare which he trained relentlessly on Michael. Michael was looking studiously bored.

In truth, Liz had just connected with him to tell him that she didn't think they should have any more sessions for a while because of Max almost discovering them earlier that day. She also told him she'd obtained Kyle's consent, so she would continue practicing. Michael thought she sounded slightly giddy about everything. _I am, _she replied to his thoughts as she broke the connection.

Both Isabel and Max had felt some kind of connection being formed and it broke their resolve. "Michael," Max growled warningly, "outside now."

Isabel could see the shocked look on her parents faces as the two boys left the table. Isabel shrugged her shoulders and smiled apologetically at her parents as she followed Max outside. They followed Max down the deserted alley behind the restaurant. Max turned suddenly, and threw his fist into Michael's face. "Damn it Maxwell!" Michael exclaimed as he nursed his injured jaw.

"I told you to stay away from her Michael." Max's voice wavered with emotion. "We have enough happening with Jeremy without you messing with her!"

Michael looked Max directly in the eye. "Go to hell," he said as he walked out of the alley and into the night.

Isabel was about to say something when Max went flying across the alley. He landed against the brick wall of the restaurant with a thud. He slid to the ground and shook his head. "Max!" Isabel cried as she knelt next to him. "What happened?"

Max shook his head again and caressed his forehead with his hand. "I just had a flash."

"Of what?" Isabel frowned in concern.

"Of Liz; she's in danger." He quickly stood and began to jog towards the Crashdown with Isabel at his heels.

**A/N: So what do you think? Good? Bad? Alien? Hit the tab and convey your thoughts.**


	20. Chapter 20: Timelines

**No disclaimer, If you haven't figured out I don't own this stuff, that's your problem.**

**A/N: I hate long Author's notes at the beginning of every chapter, but I really have to add a little explaination here. This chapter skips back and forth in time a bit. I tried to make that clear by BOLD subheadings. If you're still confused after reading the chapter, leave a reveiw. (PM's don't seem to be working on the site right now, and I wanna make sure I get your thoughts...)**

**Thanks for all the reveiws. I know some of you are disappointed in the shorter chapter length. I'm trying to break up the sections in a logical order, and even leave a little suspense in the end. What that means is slightly shorter chapters. I'm hoping to update more regularly though, so hopefully that will satiate you all. **

**Now, let's answer the question you're all wondering: What's happening to Liz? Enjoy!**

**Chapter 20**

**_Rosewell: The Present_**

Liz was cleaning the dishes while Jeremy and her father watched a baseball game in the living room. She could hear the announcer drone on and on about the players. Occasionally there was a sharp shout from the boys as some kind of play was made. She rolled her eyes as she finished drying the last plate. She was just about to put it into the cupboard when the flash started.

_

* * *

_

_An irate Jeremy stood in front of her accusing her of having an affair with Max. She felt her own confusion at the accusation. She hadn't seen Max since they'd moved to Virginia. When she told him that she didn't know what he was talking about he called her a liar and whore. Even though he was angry, she wasn't prepared for what happened next. He slapped her, hard. Her head snapped back from the impact as she tumbled to the floor. "How long have you been seeing him?" Jeremy demanded._

_Liz cowered where she had fallen. "I told you I haven't seen him! I don't even know where he is!" She cried as she held her hands to her injured face. _

"_I'm sure, considering he lives two miles from here," Jeremy's hard and sarcastic words made her flinch. Why was Max living in Virginia? She wondered. _

_When she didn't reply, Jeremy hauled her to her feet and held her wrists tightly. "I told you never to see him again," he said in a cold voice._

_Liz was angry. She had stayed away from all her friends for him. She had given up on the one man she'd ever loved because he'd asked her to, and he had the gall to call her a liar. She looked defiantly in his eyes. "I haven't. And I'm never going to see you again either," she said coldly._

_Jeremy flung her against the wall, his body pressed against hers. "What did you say?"_

"_I said we're through. I want a divorce." She croaked. She felt herself being flung across the room. When she landed, she felt a sharp pain in her chest. _

_She heard Jeremy sob. "God Liz…" Jeremy whispered before he fled the apartment._

* * *

Liz found herself on the floor with a broken plate shattered around her. A few seconds later, both Jeremy and her dad were standing over her. 

"Are you okay babe?" Jeremy tenderly stroked her arm. Liz flinched at the contact and forced herself to look into his green eyes. They were filled with concern.

She shook her head. "Yeah I'm fine. I just kind of tripped and the next thing I knew…" She gestured around her. "You know I get clumsy when I'm tired." She stood up and retrieved the broom from the pantry and began sweeping up the shattered plate.

"I've got it sweetie," Jeremy said as he wrestled the broom from her hands. "Why don't you go to bed?"

"No!" Liz exclaimed. "Uh, I mean if I go to bed now, I'll be waking up at four. I think I'll just go get some fresh air. I'll be back in a bit." She quickly grabbed her jean jacket and headed for the door.

Liz hadn't gone two blocks when she saw Max running towards her with Isabel on his heels. "Liz! Thank God!" Max exclaimed and held her to his chest. She could hear his heart beating wildly and she wondered what could possibly be wrong. She tried to wriggle out of his embrace but he held her fast for another moment. When he released her he placed both hands on her face. "Are you alright?"

Liz frowned. "Of course I'm alright," she declared, ignoring the feelings of disquiet she was still experiencing from her flash. "Why wouldn't I be?" She asked as she took a step back trying to disengage Max's hands from her face.

"I had a flash," Max explained. "He was… you were… God." Max exhaled heavily and gathered him to her once again. Liz realized from the tight grip he had on her that she wouldn't be able to wriggle loose, so she rose on her tiptoes and looked over Max's shoulder at Isabel.

"Do you have any idea what he's talking about?" she inquired.

Isabel shook her head.

Max released her again. "We need to talk," he said as he wrapped his hand in hers. The trio walked to the nearby park and sat on one of the benches. They were silent for several moments.

"What did you see Max?" Liz finally asked.

"Liz you have to leave him now. It's not safe. I… He... It was bad." Max couldn't bear to say the words.

Liz gasped wondering if it could be true. "Max, in your flash did he think we were having an affair?" Max's eyes penetrated hers and she knew the answer. They'd had the same flash. "Where is this coming from Max?" Liz asked in a small voice as a single tear trickled down her cheek.

_**

* * *

**_

_**Las Vegas: Date Undetermined**_

Max sat alone in the huge bed room. He loved this room. It was where he'd asked Liz to marry him and where they had just spent their wedding night. Even though it wasn't cold outside, there was a fire burning in the fireplace. He could hear the shower running and Liz was humming "I shall believe". He understood the significance of the song. It did seem that her faith in him and brought them to this day. However with all that had happened to him as well as her, it'd taken a damn long time to find each other.

He remembered Liz's first wedding. She had married a man she didn't even love to protect them all. Max had begged her to call it off, but both of them knew there was no other way to get Jeremy out of Roswell. He'd become a force to be reckoned with very quickly. Though no hard evidence against the three aliens still existed, Jeremy's jealousy had made even a tenuous friendship with Liz impossible.

Max remembered how Liz had trembled against him as she related the threat and ultimatum Jeremy had presented her with as well as her fears that Jeremy would invent evidence just to have an excuse to dispose of Max. Liz had accepted the Jeremy's ultimatum for his sake and cut off all ties with him after that night. It didn't matter how often he told himself she did it for him, it still hurt like hell.

After the wedding, Liz and Jeremy had moved to Virginia where a new version of the special unit that had cropped up while Michael, Isabel and he were on Antar. Jeremy eventually headed the unit. Liz was an excellent spy, and sent much valuable information via Maria to them about the unit's search for the three aliens. It didn't do them much good in the end.

Jeremy's jealousy had eventually led him back to Max. It was a cold winter night when he found Jeremy waiting for him in his small apartment in Virginia. Liz didn't know, but Max had moved into the same area as she and Jeremy. He had vowed to protect her, but instead his presence had harmed her more than he thought possible.

When Jeremy discovered that Max was living nearby, he'd confronted Liz who truthfully told him she hadn't seen Max since the wedding. When Jeremy didn't believe her, he'd beaten her badly and came after Max to kill him.

It was while Jeremy aimed the gun at Max's chest that Liz had formed her first real connection with him, warning him to be careful, and that she loved him. The connection had saved his life. The sudden intensity of it had brought Max to his knees just as the gun fired. The bullet missed him by mere inches. The anger that Max had felt at Liz's condition did the rest; Max killed Jeremy an instant later. Without even bothering to dispose of the body, Max went to Liz's home and found her in bed, with bruises on her face, several nasty cuts, and a broken rib. Max had healed the physical injuries and they'd taken off into the night.

Killing Jeremy had sent a shockwave throughout the FBI. Max and Liz were still in hiding several years later. They had been living in Las Vegas for almost six months when they decided to get married. Max thought it was ironic that dispite their mutual dislike for the town, they were married there in two different timelines. Because they were being watched by the FBI, Isabel, Michael, Maria as well as their parents, weren't able to come. Of all the people they had wanted there, Kyle was the only one who came. Liz had been ecstatic to see him and had danced with him almost as much as she had with Max.

After they'd returned home, Liz had formed a connection with him for the second time in their lives. Max was so surprised that she could do it; he had practically dropped her as he carried her over the threshold. Instead of doing what most newlyweds did on their wedding night, they'd spent most of the night experimenting with the connection they'd always felt but never quite managed to strongly establish. Max suspected that Liz could form connections with others as well. That night as Liz slept anchored by his side, a plan formed.

Max wanted to stop this running. In fact, he wanted a different life that protected him and Liz from the hell they'd lived in for the past 10 years. If they could have found out what they needed to know about Jeremy when he'd been at Eagle Rock, it would have been so different. If he had known about Liz's latent powers sooner, they could have used them. It was that thought that decided it. He would change the past again to ensure a better future. He didn't have the Granolith anymore, but he could send flashes….

_**

* * *

**_

_**Roswell: The Present**_

Michael had been heading to Maria's apartment when he stopped cold. He could feel Liz trying to connect with him, but she didn't quite seem able to establish the connection. In his mind he reached out to her and was bowled over by the images he saw. Jeremy was beating the shit out of Liz. "Sonofabitch!" Michael yelled as he tried to maintain the connection. It ceased as suddenly as it had begun.

Michael began to run, all the while trying to reestablish a connection with Liz. He failed repeatedly. When he arrived at the front doors of the Crashdown, everything looked normal. It was the dinner rush and there were people packed into the Café. Michael debated heading up to the Parkers apartment. If what he had seen was true, why hadn't Liz's parents stopped Jeremy?

He quickly reviewed the flash he'd seen and realized that the room they had been in didn't look like any place he'd ever seen in Roswell. "Damn future flash," he muttered. His immediate concern about Liz subsided but he was still worried that he couldn't form a connection.

After a few moments of standing in front of the Crashdown, he realized he looked stupid so he meandered down the street. He found himself in the back alley behind the police station. He looked around; there was no one in sight. He closed his eyes and concentrated with all his might.

_LIZ! _

Liz flinched at the strength of the connection. She could feel Max grip her hand tighter. _Michael, what are you doing?_ She asked hoping against hope that Max wouldn't feel the connection.

_Are you okay? I just had this flash…_

_You had it too?_ Liz didn't think she liked the idea of everyone seeing her in that situation.

_You were trying to connect with me, and when I made the connection I saw… wait a minute, you said too? Who else saw it? _Michael felt his stomach drop. He had a feeling he knew.

_Max, _Liz replied. The name told volumes and Michael knew he was in trouble.

_You're with him, aren't you? _Michael could feel the electricity that was keyed up in Liz's body. He sighed. _Guess our illustrious leader is going to find out about this… _he grumbled.

Liz apologized_. I can't see how we can keep it from him,_ she replied. She turned her dilated eyes towards Max. He was looking at her worriedly. _Michael we're at the park, come find us._ Liz commanded as she broke the connection.

Michael looked up to see Sheriff Valenti at the end of the alleyway looking at him. Michael sauntered out of the alley and said, "Evening, sheriff."

"Is everything ok Michael? You don't look so good." Jim asked, concerned. He knew there was something alien related happening. Kyle had holed himself in the spare bedroom for almost a day to mediate. The only other time Jim remembered his son doing that was right after the trio had left. He knew whatever was happening could not be good. He just wasn't sure he was ready to hear whatever it was.

Michael shrugged. "I'm fine. Just out for a little stroll," Michael explained.

Jim raised his eyebrows and folded his arms. "You would tell me if there's a problem, right?"

An expression of irony flickered over Michael's face. "Sure."

Jim nodded and took a step back as he touched the brim of his cowboy hat. "Have a good evening Mr. Guerin."

Michael slightly inclined his head as if to say "thanks" and stalked off towards the park. _This night is just getting worse._


	21. Chapter 21: Timelines Part 2

**Disclaimer: I'm going to prentend that everyone is fairly smart, and knows I don't own Roswell et al. I'm not posting it again. If you missed the past 20 disclaimers and god knows how many more on the site, you have a problem that I can't help you with...**

**AN: Talk about taking forever to update! And here I thought I was going to be updating more regularly... Serves me right for making promises. Murphey always had something for me anyways.**

**So here's the next chapter. It's kind of a continuation of chapter 20. I don't know what I was thinking when I divided this chapter. So my apologies there. Thanks for all of your reveiws, I really do enjoy hearing them!**

**Chapter 21**

**Las Vegas: Date Unknown**

Liz turned off the shower water. The steam swirled thickly throughout the bathroom. As she reached for a towel, it hit her. She let out a terrified cry as her knees buckled beneath her and she sank to the floor of the shower, shaking violently from the images and feelings that pounded throughout her head.

In an instant, Max was crouching beside his terrified wife. She was making whimpering sounds from the back of her throat as she rested her head against her knees, her long wet hair falling over her face and bare back. He grabbed the nearest towel and draped it around her. "What's wrong honey?" He asked softly as he caressed her back. When she didn't respond and continued shaking violently, he lifted her up and carried her to bed. Once he'd tucked her under the covers, he knelt beside her and looked into her dark tearful eyes. He held her cheek in his large hand. "Tell me what the problem is, babe," he cooed softly. He felt his stomach turn to lead as she finally looked him in the face.

"You sent me those flashes," she whispered. Max nodded slowly unable to think of how to explain what he'd done.

Liz was still shaking from the shockwave of new memories and feelings as she tried to process what she somehow already knew. Max was trying to change their future…again. He hadn't moved since she had spoken. She let out a shuddering sigh and reached out her hand. When he took it, she tugged on his hand as she scooted farther onto the bed to accommodate him. He draped himself on the covers next to her and cradled her in his arms.

"I'm sorry, Liz. I didn't know that it would do that to you," he whispered as her shaking finally stopped.

Liz rested her wet head against his bare chest. "How are you sending me those flashes?" she asked feeling her warm breath bounce off his chest. She snuggled closer, relishing the warmth and safety she felt there.

Max kissed the top of her head. "It's something I learned on Antar," he said softly.

Liz pulled herself up on her elbow and looked directly into her husband's eyes. Max never spoke about Antar or anything that had happened there. By unspoken agreement, Liz didn't speak of Alex or Jeremy either. Those subjects were just too painful for both of them. Liz could see the pain in Max's eyes just thinking of the memory. When his eyes met hers she finally spoke. "But I thought there were only two kinds of flashes…" She inquired in a soft tone the belied the demand for information.

"There are, and what I sent was a combination of both."

"Did Larek teach you?"

Max's breath caught in his throat. "Kivar did."

The name sent a shock of dread through Liz's heart. "What did he do to you?" Liz whispered as she reached out a hand to caress Max's pain filled face.

Max's brow furrowed. "We were battling when he somehow managed to connect with my mind," he began. "I didn't notice the connection at first, but because he could see my thoughts all my defenses were no longer effective. When I realized what he was doing I tried to sever the connection. I couldn't…" He broke off for a moment, lost in the terror of the memory. "Then the flashes began. He sent me every single memory he had of killing me, Isabel, Michael and Tess from our previous life. I saw what I was from his eyes. I was a tyrant, unwilling to listen to the demands of the people. I was trying to make changes that in his eyes would destroy our planet. He reasoned that killing the four-square would be saving the planet. So he killed us…in the most painful way imaginable."

Liz sucked in a breath as she began to understand the implications of what Max was telling her. No one should have to witness their own death, let alone those who you loved. Max's hollow voice broke into her thoughts. "Just as you were helpless because of the new memories that those flashes created, so was I. He could have killed me anytime he wanted, but he preferred to watch me suffer. It wasn't until Isabel also connected with me that I was able to force him out of my mind. I killed him a moment later."

Liz felt the tears coursing down her cheeks as she softly kissed Max's lips. When they both pulled away their tears were intermingled with each other's. "My poor Max," Liz murmured.

Max twisted his mouth into a sad smile. "I'm sorry I did that to you. If I had thought for one instant that sending flashes back into the past would hurt you, I would have never done it." He pulled her to him.

Liz pulled away so she could look into his soulful amber eyes. "If we can change what happened, it would be worth it Max," she said steadily. She closed her eyes as she awkwardly tried to form a connection with Max so he could see how she truly felt. When they finally connected, the two souls came to an instant understanding.

"Baby," Max breathed. "I love you," he slowly leaned forward and kissed her passionately.

Liz smiled against his lips. "Likewise," she said softly.

* * *

"Max calm down. It was just a future flash," Liz said for the forth time. Even so, Max refused to relinquish the hand that he held clasped in both of his. 

Isabel sat beside Max with a comforting hand on his shoulder. "You both had the same flash at the same time?" she clarified. Max had been so upset by the flash that he was barely coherent and Liz was strangely reticent after Isabel was sure she felt a connection form and she saw Liz flinch slightly. At first she thought that Max had connected with Liz, but Max looked even more upset by the obvious connection. The look of intense worry that he sent her confirmed it. It had to be Michael who had made the connection. "I think there's more to this than Michael told us," she whispered to Max who nodded slowly as he observed Liz's every movement with a frown.

When Michael became visible between the large tree trunks Liz sprang from the bench and catapulted herself into Michael's arms. "Sorry Michael," she muttered when she felt him tense.

Before she could pull away his arms went around her waist in a soft hug. Liz felt her pain and terror wash through her. She couldn't let Max see how she felt. She knew Max's future self was in danger because Jeremy was jealous of him. She couldn't afford to get too close. Losing her cool in front of him was a sure fire way to ruin everything and pull him even closer. Neither Michael nor Liz noticed when the connection began, but Liz knew that Michael understood how she felt.

_You're in more danger than Max is. Liz, let him in_. Liz felt Michael urge. She nodded and closed her eyes as she pulled away from Michael. Without severing her connection with Michael, she searched and found Max's thoughts and tried to pry them open. She saw Max flinch.

_Hey,_ she tried to welcome him into the connection soothingly.

_Liz, did you do that?_ Liz grinned as she felt Max's confusion_. Are you okay? _

_Mmmhmmm. This is what Michael and I have been working on the past few days, s_he replied.

_Of course, if I'd known I was gonna get the sucker punched for it…_ Michael interjected.

Liz realized that Michael's lip looked fatter than usual, and there was a small cut right below his bottom lip. She could almost see the thoughts and apologizes flying back and forth between the two men. She chuckled. "Alien testosterone at its worst," she joked aloud, remembering that Isabel was still not connected. _Can one of you guys bring in Isabel? I'm still kind of new at this, _Liz asked shyly. Almost immediately, a barrage of thoughts came at her all sounding distinctly of Isabel.

_Would someone please tell me what in God's name is going on? First this flash thing and now Liz can suddenly form connections? And Michael, what are you doing here?_ She demanded.

Michael's thoughts ran along sardonic lines… He finally settled on sending out an enigmatic line. _Liz's flash. Why else would we all be here?_

_You saw it too?_ Isabel inquired in a tone that made it apparent that she was insulted that she'd been left out.

_Only when Liz connected with me, _Michael parleyed.

_Michael that was definitely a future flash; did either of you notice anything different about it? _Liz's analytical mind began to take over as she tried to separate the feelings from what actually happened. She also wasn't quite ready to explain everything she had been working on with Michael and was hoping the flash would distract them all.

_Besides that jerk beating the crap out of you?_ Michael paused. _I didn't notice anything that would help explain it_.

Isabel felt her stomach plummet. _Who beat you? When?_

Liz's calming thoughts flowed through them all. _Jeremy did, but_ _it hasn't happened yet, so you guys need to calm down. I don't think we have to worry about it happening anytime soon either. It obviously took place after we moved to Virginia._

Liz could feel both Michael and Max's anger swirling around her. She directed her thoughts at Isabel. _The flash seemed to indicate that Jeremy thought Max and I were having an affair. From what I felt, it wasn't true, but he didn't believe me. _Liz explained.

_Alright_…Isabel was trying to process everything that was coming at her through the connection they all shared. _Liz, how are you doing this?_

Liz grimaced slightly knowing she wouldn't be able to avoid what was coming. _Max changed me, remember?_

_But that was years ago…_ Max interrupted. _How are you just able to do it now?_

_I could do it back then._ Liz raised an eyebrow as a quick flash passed through the group of the communication orbs they had found so long ago. _I just needed some help. _Liz felt a flush of embarrassment as she felt each of her friends' reaction to the memory surrounding their discovery. Mostly she felt Max's lust. _Oh dear_, she thought.

Isabel chuckled. _So has Michael been "helping" you with the connections Liz? I think maybe Jeremy's jealous of the wrong guy._

Isabel's flippant comment just about unhinged everyone. Liz was sure that Max was going to start hitting Michael any second, and Michael looked sick. _No! Nothing like that,_ her thoughts shot out hastily. _He's helped me learn how to start a connection and how to not be recognized when I do it. I have more control now. It's not like…before._

_Why?_ Max demanded even though he was pretty sure he knew the answer.

_So that we can keep tabs on that bastard, _Michael explained. No one needed to ask who the bastard was.

Max quickly left the connection. He knew his feelings were too raw and uncontrolled and he didn't want anyone to know about the absolute terror he felt; not only for the danger that Liz planned to place herself in, but also for himself. When Max disconnected from the group the rest did the same. The four stood silently for several minutes.

Finally Liz said "I know that it's risky, but we have to try this. We know what could possibly happen if I don't. And it could be a whole lot worse than that." Liz stared at Max until he finally made eye contact with her. She could have sworn she could feel the sparks that shot from his eyes. "I'm in danger too…" She said softly. She could see Max struggle with what she said. It was as if they were the only two people on earth, until Isabel placed a hand on Max's shoulder.

"She's right Max," Isabel urged.

Max simply looked deeply into Liz's eyes. Dispite himself he nodded his agreement.


	22. Chapter 22: Surgeon General's Warning

**A/N: Don't hate me, I know its SHORT! Seven hundred and some odd words actually. I know you've come to expect more from me but with finals looming this week, and an internship begining, I haven't the time to edit the next chapter for posting. In two weeks at least this semester will be done, and I'll have a chance to add some more. **

**Until then, hope you like a look at the podster's home life... For some unknown reason, I take great delight in this scene. (Nope, no romance in sight... which is why its odd I like it so much.)**

**EEK! I'm rambling. Read the chapter! **

**

* * *

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**Chapter 22**

It was late when Max, Isabel and Michael finally arrived home. All the lights were on in the living room and kitchen, and Isabel thought she saw a figure pacing in front of the living room window. Immediately her mind began to invent plausible excuses for the three of them simply leaving the restaurant. She could tell Max was doing the same.

When they entered the house Diane rushed at them with a fierce hug. "Are you alright?" she asked breathlessly.

It wasn't until that moment that Isabel realized her mom probably thought that something had happened and that they'd left the planet again without telling them. Isabel smiled. "We're fine Mom."

The worried look that was on Diane's face quickly turned to anger. "Then why on earth did you leave your father and I in that restaurant without any warning or excuse?" She demanded.

Max cleared his throat as Michael rolled his eyes in annoyance. "There was an emergency." He replied as he heard Michael snort behind him. Max viciously elbowed him.

"What kind of emergency could you have had that required scaring your mother like that?" Philip joined his wife as he gestured commandingly for everyone to head to the living room.

Isabel sighed as she sat on the couch. "Liz needed our help."

Diane raised her eyebrows "With the wedding? Couldn't that have waited until tomorrow?" Her voice conveyed her confusion.

The three aliens exchanged looks of disbelief. It never occurred to them that a problem involving Liz was anything other than life and death. If it wasn't, she handled it herself. In fact, she even handled life and death problems by herself; Isabel mused as she remembered Liz's revelation about Future Max. Isabel shook her head. "No mom, it wasn't wedding related. It was…" Isabel hesitated for a moment struggling for the right explanation. "It was Alien related," she finished.

There was absolute silence in the room. Finally, Phillip Evans cleared his throat. "Are you telling us that Liz Parker is also not of this earth?"

The three exchanged another look. They were trying to figure out how to even explain what they themselves didn't fully understand. Finally Max spoke. "Liz is human. But after I healed her, she started to have some… side effects." He finished lamely.

Isabel let out a soft chuckle. Max describing Liz's flashes and her ability to form connections as a side effect was hilarious she thought. She could just envision the warnings the Surgeon General would issue on alien healings: 'Flashes and other alien powers are common. Talk to your resident alien if problems persist.' She turned her mirthful glance first at Max and then her parents. She sobered when she saw their concerned faces.

"What kind of side effects are we talking about Max?" Diane asked, unsure she was ready to hear whatever they were about to explain.

"She gets these flashes," Max explained. "We don't know why, but they're almost always significant. When she had one tonight, we had to talk to her."

"What's a flash?" Philip asked.

"Something that happens when things get intense," Michael spoke for the first time since they had arrived home.

"We see things, often short glimpses of someone or something that has happened." Isabel added.

Diane caressed her forehead wearily. "I suppose this is something that you've dealt with before?" The three aliens nodded. "What kind of flash did Liz have tonight? Was it important?"

Max looked at his shoes. "Yeah it was important," he answered.

"I still don't understand how you even knew she had a flash." Philip frowned.

Michael grunted irritably. _It's going to be a long night_, he thought to himself as he heard Max try to explain that he'd had the same flash. Michael could have kicked Max for bringing the connection business into it when he explained how Michael knew about the flash.

Thankfully, Max glossed over their plans to work on enhancing Liz's skill. Still, they'd been subjected to an hour lecture on invading people's privacy. The moment the Max and Iz's parents finished their interrogation, Michael quickly retreated to his bedroom. _I have gotta find another place to crash. I shouldn't have to tell them where I am every second of the day! _He flopped on the bed and tried to sleep, but it was impossible. With a grunt he heaved himself out of bed and slipped through the window.


	23. Chapter 23: Alien Voodoo

**AN: Wow! Shocker, I'm finally getting another chapter out. This one is more of a normal length. Hope you guys are happy about that. **

**I've been getting some reveiws and PM's with people worried about me finishing the story. Did I say I was going to drop it? NO? Ok then don't worry, it will be finished, eventually. I'm actually pretty close to writing the conclusion. It's a novel, that's for sure. 300+ pages at the moment, so don't worry about it.**

**As for the Maria reaction, well I hadn't spent a whole lot of time on it since my inspiration took me elsewhere when I was writing these sections. I'm trying to figure out a way to add more to it. Of course that means a possible delay in posting. We'll see. With this semester over, I just MIGHT have a chance to actually do some writing! Happy dance!**

**Okay enough about me, on with the story!**

**Disclaimer: Haven't I done this already? Me no ownie.**

**Chapter 23**

Liz had a horrible headache. Michael and Isabel seemed to relish the idea of torturing her, she mused as she blocked yet another attempt by Michael to form a connection. She had just closed the Crashdown and was wiping off tables and putting the chairs up so she could mop the floor. Liz was tired. Isabel had insisted on an early morning coffee and chat the night before. It had quickly become an all day training session. Both of her friends were trying to teach her how to protect her privacy by blocking connections. She collapsed into a booth and sighed. She heard a knock on the door and turned to see Kyle through the glass door. She heaved herself out of her seat and unlocked the door.

"Hey," she greeted him as he stepped into the empty Café.

He grinned. "So, if we don't start with this alien voodoo soon, I might change my mind so…"

Liz held up her hand as she felt Isabel start to enter her consciousness. _Iz, can you and Michael call it quits for today?_ She asked, irritated. _Kyle's here, so it's not like I won't be practicing…_ She felt Isabel's silent accent and closed her eyes in relief. She noticed Kyle's enquiring gaze when she opened them.

"Alien Voodoo," she explained as she gestured for him to sit.

He nodded and sat down. "So where's your illustrious fiancé?"

"He's working. He called and told me he had to stay late." Liz tucked a hair behind her ear. "Do you want something to drink before we get started?"

"I'd ask for a Blood of an Alien smoothie, but somehow it seems inappropriate," Kyle replied.

Liz laughed. "Actually that does sound good. Two Blood of an Alien smoothies coming up," she declared as she made her way over to the milkshake machine. As she made their shakes, she turned back to Kyle. "Thanks again for this Kyle."

Kyle ducked his head and fiddled with the salt and pepper shakers as he mumbled something. When Liz returned with their drinks and had settled herself into the booth he asked, "So how does this work?"

"We form a connection," Liz stated.

An hour later, Liz flopped on her bed. Jeremy still hadn't arrived home, but she was too exhausted to wait up for him. She hadn't expected working with Kyle to be so taxing. She was constantly bombarded with flashes from his past but had only meager success actually reading his thoughts which mostly consisted of a jumble of Buddhist phrases that made absolutely no sense. She had failed repeatedly to reverse the connection. The good news was that Kyle had no idea when the connection started or finished. She quickly changed into a pair of boxers and a tank top and slid under the cool sheets as she pondered the day's events. It didn't take long for her to drift to sleep. It was unsurprising that her last thought was of Max.

* * *

Liz bolted upright with a smothered scream on her lips. She shook her head to clear the thoughts of the nightmare that still swirled in her head. Her gaze landed the sleeping form of her fiancé next to her in the moonlight. She glanced at her alarm clock. It was almost two in the morning. She took several deep breaths before slipping out of bed. As she headed to the bathroom, she could have sworn she heard Max mutter "Damn nightmare." She froze in her tracks and tried to focus her thoughts. _Oh no, no, no, no, no!!_ She thought as she raced to the bathroom shutting the door firmly behind her. She was sharing a connection with Max! She was trying to figure out how the connection had started when she felt Max reach out for her.

_Liz? Are you there? _Liz tried to hide herself as she broke the connection, but she felt herself being pulled into an even stronger connection as she tried to back her way out.

_I know you're there Liz_, she felt Max's statement. Instead of him being angry as Liz had expected, he seemed comforted. _What are you doing?_ He asked.

Liz conveyed her confusion to him. _I just woke up, I had no idea I was even connected to you until I heard you,_ she explained.

_What are you doing up at two in the morning?_ _Is everything okay?_ His concern for her felt like a comforting blanket being wrapped around her shoulders.

Liz sat on the toilet and stared at her nightlight she felt herself relax slightly. _I just had a nightmare, that's all. I'm fine. I hope I didn't wake you up. _Liz felt Max tense at her words. Up until that point she hadn't realized that Max's emotions were as unsteady as hers.

Her throat was dry, so she took a sip of water from the faucet and tried to focus on the myriad of thoughts that Max was unintentionally sending at her. The one thought that seemed to repeat itself over and over was _I'm sorry for leaving you_. Finally Max gathered his thoughts and replied. _You didn't. I just woke up myself… Do you want to talk about this nightmare?_

Liz didn't like having to explain her reoccurring dream. Maria knew about the dream, so when Liz had awakened her friend a few weeks ago, all she had to say was it happened again. She didn't know if she wanted to relay all the feelings and thoughts associated with this dream to Max.

_How long have you been having this nightmare, Liz? _Max asked as he felt her train of thoughts.

Liz groaned inwardly. Obviously she wasn't as good at hiding her thoughts as she had believed_. A long time,_ she replied vaguely. _Too long_, she added without thinking.

_Maybe talking about it would help,_ he suggested.

Liz rejected the idea. I_'ve talked about it before. It doesn't help. Why are you awake anyways?_ The fact that they were awake at the same time, and both experiencing similar feelings was a red flag for Liz. There was something weird happening. She remembered what she had heard him say earlier. _Did you have a dream too? _

_Yeah. If yours was as unpleasant as mine, I would understand if you never slept again, _Max joked.

_Oh I tried that…several times…_ Liz said dryly.

_Did it help?_

_Nope, I just fell asleep during Organic Chemistry and practically caught my hair on fire in the Bunsen burner, _she explained.

Max hissed in sympathy, _then I don't think I'll try that…_

_Yeah I wouldn't recommend it. So what was your dream about?_ Liz idly played with a lock of hair. It was comforting to have tangible proof that her nightmare was just that, a nightmare. _Max was here for her_ she reminded herself. Suddenly she saw the doorknob of the bathroom turn. She forcefully severed the connection and stood as Jeremy opened the door.

"Babe?" He grumbled as she stood.

"Hey honey. I didn't wake you did I?"

"Why aren't you in bed?" He asked groggily.

"I had to go to the bathroom." Liz lied.

Jeremy shrugged as Liz flushed the toilet and led him back to bed. "Glad your home safe," she whispered her greeting as he flopped down beside her. He held her next to him and kissed her forehead.

"Love you too," he muttered as he fell back asleep.


	24. Chapter 24: Breaking and Entering

**A/N: Two updates in one day! Don't get used to it, but I feel guilty about the lack of updates all semester, and since this one is already edited and pretty, I figured why not? So now all you lovely readers have to reveiw on TWO chapter! Enjoy!**

**Chapter 24**

Maria twirled a strand of hair absently as she lay in bed. She had crawled back to bed after Liz called her almost an hour ago asking Maria to go to Albuquerque with her to pick up her wedding dress. Isabel had started her new job, so it meant it would just be the two of them. She'd agreed to go but couldn't shake her feeling of unease. When the group had agreed to wait and see what happened with Jeremy's job it had seemed like a good idea. After all, a jilted Jeremy could cause a lot of harm they had reasoned. However, the more Maria thought about it, the more she felt like Liz leading him on would make things worse.

_Unless Liz has changed her mind about not marrying him; which is possible,_ Maria reasoned. _Its not like I've really talked to Liz this past year and people do change. _She sighed heavily and tried to ignore the feeling of impending disaster that had worked its way to the pit of her stomach.

Maria focused her thoughts back to several nights ago. She had gone to bed early, but woke up when she heard her front door open. She had been terrified and froze in bed, hoping that the intruder would think she was asleep and leave her alone. _Not a particularly wise tactic_, she mused in retrospect.

She had fooled the intruder though, who turned out to be Michael. He'd quietly slipped into her bedroom and had sat in a chair, watching her pretend to be asleep for almost an hour. Maria started to get exasperated and was about to demand to know what, in the name of all that was holy, he was doing in her room in the middle of the night when he had gotten up and started to leave. She'd called his name and he'd returned to her side looking deeply into her eyes.

His look had made her stomach do flip-flops. "What are you doing here?" she'd whispered. Michael had kissed her softly and left without a word. She still was wondering if it had been some weird dream because the whole thing had been so surreal. The whole episode had only increased her feelings of unease. _There's something rotten in the town of Roswell; I just wish I knew what…_

Maria finally shook herself from her thoughts and glanced at the clock. She grinned lazily. "I love summer vacation," she said to herself as she finally climbed out of bed to face the day that was already half gone. She thought she heard the front door lock click open as she was making her bed. She looked wildly around for something to use on an intruder. Her eyes rested on a hard bound book of the Complete Works of William Shakespeare sitting on her nightstand. _Not the best weapon, _she thought, _but it's heavy and the only thing handy. _She grabbed it and slid her body against the wall near the doorway. She could hear heavy footfalls first in the kitchen and then the living room. As they grew nearer she tightened her hand on the tome. As the head of short spiky hair came into view she hurled the book.

He ducked. "Michael! I swear to God!" She exclaimed as she took a deep breath. "I really need to get alien proof locks." She pulled back her long hair and attempted to calm herself. Michael looked at the book that had fallen haphazardly on the floor and then back at Maria.

"Is that the best weapon you could find?"

Maria grunted in anger as she picked up the book. "Shakespeare's more dangerous than you know," she quipped. She set the book back on her nightstand. "Haven't you ever heard of knocking?"

"I did. When you didn't answer, I was worried."

Maria cocked her eyebrow upwards. "Did it occur to you I might have been gone?"

"Your car is in the parking lot Maria," Michael stated blandly.

"Or maybe I was in the shower." She didn't want to lose this argument and was determined that he realize that it was not okay to pick her lock and come in anytime he wanted. She saw a wicked grin slid across Michael's lips and knew she had said the wrong thing. "Or I could have been sleeping," she added quickly.

Michael eyed her pajama clad body and nodded. "Well if you're sleeping at eleven in the morning, then all the more reason for me to get your lazy ass out of bed." Maria sent him her coldest look as she swept past him into the living room.

"Just because I slept in doesn't mean you have to right to come barging into my house Michael." She shot back as she fluffed the pillows on her couch and made her way into the kitchen. She could hear Michael following her through the apartment. "I mean, you're breaking like a dozen laws doing that…not that you probably care, but you are. Not to mention you give me a heart attack every time you do it." Michael simply shrugged.

Maria sighed in resignation as she poured herself a glass of orange juice. "I don't suppose adding a few more deadbolts would keep you out would it?"

Michael grinned and stood next to her. "There isn't a lock on earth that could keep me out." He kissed her cheek.

Maria gave him a half smile. "Well I'd give you a key, but since you obviously don't need one, can you at least keep your breaking and entering to reasonable hours and not in the dead of night?"

Michael squeezed her waist. "Sorry about the other night." He looked vaguely off into the distance.

"What was that about Michael? What possessed you with the need to just watch me sleep anyway?" Maria slid out of his embrace and faced him head on. "It was a little creepy, even for you."

Michael was silent. The flash he'd seen of Liz had bothered him. He couldn't imagine how he would have felt it if had been Maria. He'd had an impulse to kill Jeremy before he'd realized it was a future flash. If it had been Maria in that flash, he Jeremy would already be dead, future flash or not. That night he'd just needed to see that she was okay. He spent almost an hour debating with himself about waking Maria up and telling her everything that had happened. He finally decided not to and was about to leave when she woke up. He'd kissed her and left. He pulled himself back into the present as Maria's large blue eyes centered in front of him. She had a deep frown creased across her face. He could see the worry reflecting in her eyes. He shrugged but said nothing.

Maria slugged him. "I hate it when you pull your strong silent man crap. I know there's something going on. Everyone, including Kyle is acting weird. Why won't you just tell me what the hell is going on! It's not like I can't handle it!" The look in Michael's eyes made her halt mid-rant. Suddenly she felt sick. "I don't want to know, do I?" She asked in a tiny voice a few moments later.

"We're taking care of it." Michael said roughly.

Maria suddenly remembered what she had been thinking about earlier. "Is this about Liz and Jeremy?" Michael nodded. "Is she okay?"

Michael sighed. "She'll be fine," he said with a conviction he wasn't sure he felt.

Maria wrapped her arms around his waist and buried her head in his chest. "Thank you for taking care of her," she said softly as she held him close. She felt him kiss the top of her head and smiled as she pulled away slightly. "Do you want some breakfast?" She asked brightly.

Michael felt a pang of guilt. He wasn't sure how much Maria would like his way of taking care of her. _Hell, even Max and Isabel didn't like it, and they understood what he'd been doing. _

"Michael?"

Maria's questioning voice shook him from his thoughts. "Try lunch." He said playfully as he indicated to the clock on her stove. Maria rolled her eyes dramatically.


	25. Chapter 25:Placebo

**A/N: Sorry for the long wait. Personal life got in the way... That and the lack of reveiws kind of made me apathetic about posting. I suppose I could blame it on the site's inability to send alerts, or it could just be that Roswell fandom is dying down? I shudder to think! Anyhow here's the next chapter. It's a looong one. I appolgize in advance for typos and what not. I only proofed this twice...**

**REVEIW! I'm no longer ashamed to say that it motivates me!**

**Chapter 25**

**Las Vegas: Date Undetermined**

Liz tiredly tossed her white lab coat over the back of the chair. The house was empty and silent. She knew Max wouldn't be home for another hour. She hated the hour between when she arrived home and Max did. It allowed her too much time to think. She grabbed a carton of ice cream out of the freezer and pulled a spoon out of the drawer. She made herself comfortable on the couch as she began to eat out of the container. She wished she could talk to Maria. She missed her confidant and the way Maria always was able to make everything okay. Max would occasionally make connections with Michael and Isabel, and he'd tell her how Maria was doing according to them, but still it wasn't the same as actually being able to pick up the phone and talk to her best friend. Liz knew she could in reality make connections with both Isabel and Michael and probably Maria as well, but she had ceased doing so a long time ago.

After Max's first attempt at sending a whole bunch of flashes into the past, he'd refused to do it again despite Liz's urging. Her reaction had terrified him, and he told Liz he didn't want her to have to live through that again. In fact, Liz didn't want to have to live through it again. However, the more she reflected on the life she and Max lived, the more she believed that it was worth the risk trying to change it. She wondered idly if Max had only sent one or two flashes if it would have been easier. She'd have to ask him to explain how he did it and find out exactly why he sent those flashes to their past selves at that time. She pondered this as she took another large bite of ice cream. She was startled out of her reverie when she felt Max's thoughts forcibly enter her mind. _Liz, they've found us. Get out now! _He ordered.

Liz dropped the container of ice cream. _What? How? Where are you?_ She frantically grabbed her car keys off the table and then quickly took the one picture they had of their wedding that was on the refrigerator and stuffed it into her purse.

_There's no time to explain. Meet me in Red Rock Canyon as soon as you can. You remember that place we found? I'll wait for you there. _Liz could feel Max's concern for her as she dashed to her car and tore out of the driveway. _Be careful and I love you._ He added.

Liz looked in the rearview mirror. She could see a police car pull in front of their house as she turned the corner and quickly accelerated down the quiet street. "Me too," she said to herself as she quickly weaved in and out of traffic.

It took her almost three hours to arrive at the deserted parking area where Max had told her to meet him. Several times she'd been afraid that she was being followed and had zigzagged her way around the city. When she was sure that she wasn't being followed she turned her car towards the setting sun. Twilight was falling as she pulled into the park. She drove to the far end of the loop and pulled the car into the deserted parking lot. She killed the engine and looked around. There was no sign of Max's truck anywhere. She felt a knot settle heavily in her stomach. It was then that she noticed a seldom used service road at the end of the lot. She started the car again thinking that it could provide some cover in case Max didn't arrive soon, and drove onto the road.

Liz drove the car for almost a half a mile until it was hidden from the view of the road. She put it in park and looked around. The place was deserted except for the vultures circling high above her head. She got out of the car and pulled herself up on the hood. She closed her eyes and concentrated. _Max?_ She called out hesitantly with her mind. There was no response. She concentrated harder and tried to push away her feelings of anxiety as she used all her strength to call out to him through a connection she was rusty using.

_I'm here Liz_, she felt. She heaved a sigh of relief. _Where are you?_ She asked.

_I just pulled into the parking lot. Where are you? Are you okay? _Max inquired.

Liz smiled wearily. _I'm fine. I hid my car off the service road. I'm heading back to the parking lot now_. She explained.

_I'll come and get you_. Max told her. She could feel him relax knowing that she was okay. She rested her back against the warm windshield and basked in the safety that she felt being able to know what Max was feeling and thinking. It only took a few minutes for Max's truck to come jostling into view. Max leapt out of the truck. "Did you get out okay?" He asked as Liz met him.

"Yeah, barely," she said as she reached around his torso and pulled him into a fierce hug. "I saw a police car stop in front of the house as I was driving away. Thanks for the warning." She felt Max heave a sigh of relief. She pulled away from him. "Max we're not going to do this again. We have to change this."

"We've been through this before Liz; I'm not going to put you through that again."

Liz raised her jaw defiantly and looked steadily into Max's eyes. "It's better than this," she gestured around them, meaning the fear and the running that they had become accustomed to. "We have to find a way to make this stop. I can't do it again, and I couldn't bear to lose you, and if we don't stop this I will lose you eventually and that's not acceptable." She reached up tenderly placed her hands on his face. "You have to do this for me."

Max felt torn. He wasn't sure what was worse, watching what the flashes he sent did to Liz, or living a life of fear and isolation that was slowly killing them both. He sighed. "I just don't know Liz." He murmured as he placed his hands over hers.

Liz nodded. "Alright," she took a deep breath. "Let's talk about our options then…"

They were on the road several hours later. For the first time since they had fled Washington together, Liz felt like they had a plan other than running. It was late and the stars shone around them as they sped through the empty desert in Max's truck. Liz reflected on her life as Max drove. She was trying to decide when exactly she had felt herself losing her courage to spy on Jeremy. She thought of several significant events. When they pulled into a seedy hotel several hours later, she and Max had pinpointed what flashes they wanted to send and at what time in their past to send them. They agreed to wait until the morning and curled up exhausted, in each other's arms.

* * *

Maria glanced at Liz and then back at the road. They'd been driving for almost two hours and Liz had barely said anything. Maria had blared the radio until she no longer had reception, then she'd put on a CD to fill the uncomfortable silence. Finally she spoke up. "So I'm thinking when we get to town we can skip picking up the dress and head straight for the nearest strip joint." Liz simply nodded and continued to stare out her window. "That's it!" Maria exclaimed as she slammed on the breaks and pulled to the side of the road. She couldn't handle being out of the loop any longer. Liz was just going to have to tell her what was going on. 

Liz had been explaining to Isabel via their connection about her first attempt to spy on Jeremy the night before. She had related the flashes she'd seen and was trying to explain how guilty she felt about it. Almost everything that she'd seen was about her, and how much Jeremy loved her. Isabel was trying to reason with her, but she simply couldn't bring herself believe that the Jeremy she'd seen last night was a danger to anyone regardless what her future flash had showed her. She was startled out of the connection as the car skidded off the side of the road in a cloud of dust. "What on earth? Maria! Are you trying to kill us?" She exclaimed as the dust cloud settled and Maria shut off the engine.

Maria simply gave Liz a hard stare. "We need to talk," she demanded as she unbuckled her seatbelt and shifted in her seat.

Liz took a deep breath knowing that Maria was obviously having one of her freak out sessions. "Okay, what do we need to talk about?" Liz asked soothingly.

Maria took a deep breath and tried to compose her thoughts. There were hundreds of questions and arguments spinning around her head and she was trying to figure out which one to start with. It was then that she noticed Liz's vacant stare. "Liz? Is something wrong?" She asked.

Liz could hear Maria's voice vaguely as the flash hit.

_**flash**_

_Liz and Jeremy stood on Liz's balcony. There was a beautiful sunset spreading across the desert sky. Jeremy took her hand in his, gripping it tightly. "You know I love you Liz," He began._

_Liz smiled back at him. "I know," she said softly as she looked into his beautiful green eyes. _

_He nodded and looked searchingly into her eyes. "Do you love me?" He asked after several minutes._

_Liz smiled quietly and nodded. "You know that I have a hard time showing it Jeremy, but I wouldn't be marrying you if I didn't." She tried not to have to say the actual words. She felt guilty for not loving this man who obviously loved her._

"_I know, but Liz this is a huge step and I need some more feedback than that if we're going to make this work." He released her hands and paced the length of the balcony. "I've wanted you from the moment I saw you. You're everything I've ever wanted in a woman, but I don't think you feel the same way, do you?" He turned to look at her. _

_Liz swallowed and looked at her hands. The ring Jeremy gave her glittered softly in the dying sunlight. "I love you Jeremy," she said finally. "But I can't love you with that kind of abandon. It's not who I am." _

"_Could have fooled me," Jeremy muttered. "You sure seem demonstrative with your friends," he added bitterly._

_Liz looked at him sharply. "What's that supposed to mean?"_

"_I mean you are constantly talking with Kyle and being all chummy with him, and when Max Evans is around, I swear the world could explode and you wouldn't even notice. What's going on with you two?" He demanded._

"_Nothing is going on with us!" Liz denied._

"_That may be how you feel, but he doesn't Liz. I can see it in his eyes. You have to end whatever it is with him if we're going to have a chance." His voice had a cold hard edge to it._

"_What exactly are you saying?"_

"_I'm saying that if you're serious about us, you won't see Max anymore." He said flatly._

_Liz stared at him with her mouth open. "You can't be serious," she sputtered._

_Jeremy stepped up to her and met her gaze. "I couldn't be more serious," he said with quiet intensity. "It's him or me," he looked down on Liz with an intense stare._

_Liz's dark eyes met his. "How dare you," she said softly. "I've always made my own decisions. Where do you get off telling me that spending time with an old friend isn't allowed?" Liz felt her voice rise as her anger and guilt surfaced._

"_Old boyfriend, Liz" Jeremy corrected. "And I've been pretty patient about you two spending time together. I know you had some unfinished business with the guy but for God's sake, do you think I'm gonna just sit here and watch as he tries to seduce you away from me?" His voice began to rise as well._

_Liz flinched, remembering the tone from another flash she had. "Max wouldn't do that." She denied._

"_Yes he would, and he is. I'm telling you Liz, stay away from him, damn it!" He yelled as he slammed his fist down on the small table she kept candles on. _

_Liz thought frantically of what to do. She had put herself in this position by spending time with Max against her better judgment. She knew that Jeremy was jealous of Max but she'd disregarded it. She slowly sank to her lounge chair and looked at Jeremy with weary eyes. "What am I supposed to tell him?" She asked quietly._

"_That he'll stay away from you if he knows what's good for him." _

"_Is that a threat?" Liz's voice quivered._

_Jeremy nodded. "I'll be damned if I let him have what's mine," he said challengingly as he left Liz to consider what he'd said. She faintly heard the front door close and she saw him jog down the street and into the gathering darkness._

* * *

"Oh my God," Liz exhaled a breath she didn't know she'd been holding. Her eyes focused on Maria who was holding on to her shoulders and shaking her gently. 

"Liz? Liz! What's wrong?" Maria demanded.

"I had a flash," Liz whispered as she felt her stomach churn.

Maria frowned. "What kind of flash did you have?"

Liz took several halting breaths as she looked into her friend's blue eyes. "What am I going to do?" She asked desperately.

"Ok babe, until I know what the flash was, I can't help you," Maria reasoned with laudable presence of mind considering the state of her distraught friend.

Liz was still reeling from her flash when she felt Isabel tugging at her consciousness. "Maria, hang on just a second," Liz said as she opened the connection. _Isabel I just had another flash. Tell Max and Michael that we need to meet tomorrow night when I get back. _Liz commanded.

_You had another one?!_ Liz felt Isabel exclaim. _Was it the same one?_

_No._ Liz explained. _It's another one of Jeremy though and if it's true, Max could be in trouble._ Liz could feel Iz's fear coursing through the connection. _Don't worry I'm not going to let anything happen to him Iz. _Liz reassured her.

_What should I tell him?_ Isabel asked. Liz could almost see her pacing in her room.

_Just tell him I had another future flash, and that I want to discuss it with everyone. I don't think he's in danger right now, but we need to be careful. _Liz was suddenly struck by the phrase she'd heard Max use repeatedly. She let out a wry chuckle_. We'll figure this out Iz, _she added as she felt Maria shaking her shoulders again. _Iz, I've gotta go. I think Maria's going to have a breakdown if I don't explain what's going on._ She sent out a mental apology.

Isabel's mind was full of empathy, which Liz felt wash over her. _Be careful Liz_, Isabel stated as she broke the connection.

Maria desperately wanted some cedar oil, or grief relief, she'd even settle for a placebo at the moment because she could feel herself starting to wig out. Liz had blanked out for several minutes after declaring she'd had a flash. Maria had never seen the look of studious concentration that Liz wore and it was scaring her. She closed her eyes and muttered, "This isn't happening." When she opened her eyes she saw that her statement hadn't changed anything, she began to shake Liz again. It had seemed to bring Liz out of the flash, so Maria reasoned it couldn't hurt.

"Maria stop shaking me, you're going to give me whiplash," Liz exclaimed suddenly.

Maria quickly removed her hands from Liz's shoulders. "I'm sorry Liz, but I don't know what to do here, I mean you blank out on me first, and then suddenly, it's like you're not really even in the car with me. I know you're here, but it's like your mind was off in la la land or something, so what am I supposed to do?" Maria babbled.

Liz shot her a sympathetic smile. "It's okay Maria. I'm fine. Now listen to me, you need to calm down so I can explain what I was doing."

Maria raised her eyebrows. "You mean you did that to yourself on PURPOSE?" She practically yelled.

Liz winced and waited several moments while Maria continued to rant. "Are you finished?" She finally asked in a somewhat exasperated, but level voice. When Maria nodded, Liz began her explanation.

* * *

Max was on his way out the front door when he felt the flash coming. 

_**flash**_

"_I have to protect you. We don't know what he'll do if I leave him," Liz said tearfully as she sat at the kitchen table._

"_Liz I already told you marrying him isn't an option," Max reached his hand across the table for hers._

_Liz looked up at him with fear in her eyes. "He's working in the White Room Max. That changes everything. I'm going through with this wedding." Liz's voice broke as tears flooded her eyes. "And I can't see you anymore." She said quietly as she stood._

"_No Liz. Don't do this."_

_Liz smiled a sad smile. "I'd do anything to keep you safe. And that's what I'm going to do." She stated as she turned and walked out the door and out of his life._

_**flash**_

_Max sat in the last pew of the church. His stomach was churning with jealousy and hatred towards Jeremy even while his heart broke because he knew that Liz was giving up everything to protect them... _

_In front of him, Liz stood wearing a strapless white gown with beading that shimmered in the light from the stained glass windows. Max couldn't bear it any more when he heard Liz vow to love Jeremy "till death do us part." He quickly left the church. When the bells began to toll a few minutes later, Max broke down into tears. In his frustration and anger he reached out his hand and disintegrated the picnic table in front of him. As he walked away, all that was left was a pile of ash._

_**flash**_

_Liz stood laughing in front of him wearing a simple white satin dress with a scoop neck and a short veil. "Congratulations Kids," she said in a mock Elvis voice. Then she kissed him lightly._

"_At least it's not the Elvis chapel," Max kidded back as he pulled her into his arms and kissed her more deeply. _

"_Ok enough of that, when do I get to catch the garter?" Kyle broke in as he shook Max's hand and kissed Liz on the cheek. The three smiled broadly at each other as the scene faded black._

Max had dropped the keys he held in his hand during the flashes. His hand was still poised over the door when Isabel came downstairs to relay Liz's message. "Max? Are you okay?"

Max shook his head. "Yeah Iz," he tried to smile; "just trying to remember if I needed anything before I left."

Isabel looked unconvinced as she eyed Max for a moment. She picked up his keys and handed them to him as she said sarcastically, "you might want these."

Max didn't move for a moment, and then finally realized fully where he was. "Yeah, thanks." He said as he took the keys out of Iz's hand. He was about to rush out the door when Isabel stopped him.

"Max, Liz just had another future flash. She wants to meet tomorrow when she gets back into town. She sounded worried."

Max frowned. "Did she say what it was about?"

Isabel shook her head. "She didn't say anything specific."

Max nodded. He wondered if the flashes he had just experienced were the same as Liz's. He was silent a moment before he shrugged. "Guess we'll have to wait until tomorrow to find out about Liz's flash. Thanks for telling me Iz."

Isabel frowned. "Is there something else going on Max?"

"I don't know," Max answered quietly. "I'm late for work, we'll talk later," he added as he quickly exited the house and got into his car.

Max slammed the car door shut and rested his head against the seat as he reviewed the flashes he'd just seen. His thoughts focused first on what Liz had said about Jeremy working at the White Room. Was it true? He wondered. He grunted in frustration as he finally started the car and headed to work. Most of the way there, he puzzled over the two weddings he'd seen. The one he saw of him and Liz was different somehow from the ones he'd seen previously. They looked different, older, he realized. His need to make sure Liz was okay prompted him to pull out his cell phone and dial her number. He refused to even think of connecting with her.


	26. Chapter 26: Married Again?

**A/N: This is a VERY long chapter, so just a heads up. Thanks to Radiogirl, (happy to see you're still among the living!), and Jailyn, (your reveiw made me laugh. Here's a looong chapter, hope that keeps you happy!)**

**Any typos and errors are mine. I reworked this chapter several times, and I'm still not sure I like how it ended up. More comments on that at the end of the chapter... **

**R&R if you like it, hate it, or just are bored...**

**Chapter 26**

**Date and Location Unknown**

Liz recovered from the reaction to her flashes first. She looked over at Max who was curled up in the bed in a fetal position. She could see his muscles twitching as he lay still with his eyes open, but unseeing. She walked over to him and pressed herself against his back curling her arms around him. "It's okay Max; I'm here. It'll be over soon." She whispered. A few minutes later, she felt him begin to relax. "How many flashes did you send yourself?" She asked worriedly as he stretched.

"I sent what we agreed on." Max said. Liz cocked her eyebrow. "And I sent a flash of our wedding too," he confessed. The corners of his mouth twitched into what might have been a smile.

Liz chuckled. "You really think that will help?"

"Hey I had to give myself some hope." He pulled Liz to him.

Liz laughed. "What? The flashes of the other wedding weren't enough?"

Max shook his head. "That one didn't happen," he reminded her. "I needed to know it really could happen."

"That one happened, just in a different timeline. As will this one if we succeed." Liz said quietly as she reached out and picked up the snapshot of their wedding from the nightstand. She traced the image of Max's face with her fingers.

Max placed his hand lightly on Liz's stomach. "You're right; but I hope to God that in the next timeline, our wedding doesn't take place in Vegas." Max said as he looked that the picture Liz held. "I want us to have a real wedding." He whispered conspiratorially against her soft hair.

Liz turned and looked into his amber eyes. She smiled broadly. "Vegas isn't that bad," she said jokingly. After a pause, she asked, "Do you think we'll get married again?"

Max pulled her to him firmly. "I've loved you since I first saw you. I'd have married you the second you came back to Roswell if I could have," he reassured her.

Liz felt the change suddenly. All of her memories were beginning to fade. She realized they'd changed the future. Then she felt Max's arms dissolve from around her. She looked up and he was gone. She clutched the picture she held tightly to her chest. "Me too," Liz said lovingly to the air hoping somehow Max could still hear her. A tear dropped from her cheek and onto the pillow as the air shimmered around her and she disappeared also.

**

* * *

**

**Present Day Roswell**

Liz and Maria arrived back in Roswell at noon the next day. Maria wasn't surprised when she saw Michael's dirt bike in the parking lot. She fixed an annoyed expression on her face as she opened the door and found him in the kitchen apparently making lunch. "What have I told you about breaking and entering?" She demanded as she dropped her overnight bag and swiped the plate of sandwiches away from him.

He looked at her blankly for a moment. "You weren't home, so what does it matter? I couldn't scare you." He twisted his mouth into a mocking smile when he saw her annoyance.

Maria rolled her eyes. "So you thought you could just come over and eat my food without my consent?"

"Actually I knew you two," Michael nodded at Liz, "would be home soon, and I thought I'd make you lunch." Liz snorted at his comment and held her hands up as she sat on the couch to show she wanted to avoid being pulled into the couple's argument.

"You knew we were coming? What are you a fortune teller now?" Maria enquired sarcastically as she took a bite of one of the sandwiches in her hands.

"Liz told me," Michael said.

Maria looked back and forth between Michael and Liz. "You talk to Michael's head now," Maria was stunned. "I knew you said that you could make connections with them, but I didn't realize you meant Michael. What goes on in his head? Or do I not want to know?" She babbled.

Michael rolled his eyes and headed back towards the kitchen to grab a soda. "You don't want to know," he muttered loud enough for the two girls to hear.

Liz looked around uncomfortably before she said, "yeah, Michael and I can form connections. Actually, he's the one who taught me how."

Maria frowned. "Is that what he's been so busy with lately?"

Liz nodded sheepishly. "Yeah, sorry."

"Stupid connections," she muttered. "So is everyone just talking behind my back now?" She pouted as she made her way to the couch, where Michael joined her a moment later.

Michael was saved from having to reply by a knock at the door. "It's probably Max and Isabel. I told them to meet us here." Liz explained as she shot Maria an apologetic smile. She went to open the door. Before she could reach it, the door swung open.

Liz and Maria both stared at the door and then at Michael's outstretched hand as he bellowed, "Come in."

Maria smacked him as she stood to greet the newcomers. "You'd think he lives here," Maria griped to Isabel as they walked in. Isabel smiled reservedly as she gave Maria a quick hug. "Hi Max." Maria said as she shut the door. Max didn't say anything. His eyes were focused on Liz.

"Hi guys," Liz quietly greeted everyone as they took up positions around the living room. Maria plopped down next to Liz and patted her hand encouragingly.

"So I guess we should tell them what you saw, huh?" Maria asked too brightly as she pushed her annoyance away.

Liz sighed and hugged a throw pillow to her chest. "Where's Kyle?"

"He was meeting with some old friends; we'll fill him in later." Isabel replied.

"You're sure it was a future flash?" Michael asked.

Liz nodded. "Yeah," she answered. "I think it'll probably happen within the next few days." She looked at her hands feeling as if the silence in the room would strangle her as Isabel and Michael looked at her expectantly. "Jeremy threatened to hurt Max if I didn't stop seeing him." She finally added.

"What do you mean by 'seeing'?" Isabel asked.

"He wants her to cut all ties with me," Max explained what Liz had told him when he'd called her yesterday.

Isabel looked sharply at her brother. "Is that the same flash you had yesterday?" She demanded.

"You had a flash, and you didn't tell us?" Michael exploded from his seat. He looked perilously close to blasting something at this revelation.

Max held up his hands and gestured for Michael to sit back down. Michael wavered a moment and finally resumed his seat. "Yes I had a flash. It was slightly different from Liz's but it seems to have some bearing on what she saw."

Maria cocked her head. "And you were planning on sharing this when?"

Max's mouth twitched as he began to show them what he'd seen by projecting his memory of the flashes. He was careful to leave out both wedding flashes. When he'd finished, everyone sat in silence for a few moments. "I can't ask you to continue to spy on him," Max addressed Liz. "If Jeremy really is working in the White Room, it could be too dangerous for you."

Liz shook her head. "I disagree. If he's working in the White Room, we need to know everything we can." Liz felt a wave of worry rise in her chest. She cleared her throat as she continued. "I think we have to accept the possibility that he knows about you. The only way we can protect ourselves is by going on the offensive. I'm doing this." She stated firmly, looking straight into his eyes.

Max felt the same pulling for a connection that he felt several days ago at the Crashdown when she looked at him. A part of him wanted to pull Liz into it and let her see exactly what he was feeling. His fear quickly squashed the impulse and he mentally put up another block as he met Liz's pleading eyes. He sighed deeply. "If you're determined to do this, promise me one thing." Liz nodded and waited to hear his terms. "You'll never be alone when you connect with him. Isabel, Michael or I have to be with you." Liz frowned. "There are dangers you know nothing about… Please." He pleaded.

"I don't know how practical that's going to be Max, but if you feel it's important, I'll try." Liz agreed.

Isabel frowned, remembering what dangers Max was talking about, though she wasn't sure Max had anything to worry about. From her work with Liz, she felt that the other girl was almost as skilled at forming connections as she was. Matter of fact she'd had more success connecting with Kyle and getting coherent images than Isabel had been. Isabel let out a soft chuckle as she remembered connecting to Kyle without anyone knowing several days before. She'd been so confused when she finally stopped the connection that it took her a half hour to compose herself. The result was she had been late to her first day working in her father's office. Isabel was sure that Liz would be fine considering how well she could handle Kyle.

Liz brought Isabel back from her reverie by suggesting she try to make a connection with Jeremy before she headed home. Liz studiously avoided looking at Max as she announced her plan. She had unconsciously been trying to connect with him. She realized what she was doing only when she felt herself hit a block that repelled her painfully; she paused mid sentence when she felt it. "What was I saying?" She asked. Maria reminded her and she finished declaring her plan.

Liz got up and poured herself a glass of water. She could hear everyone else talking but she was lost in her own thoughts. Liz hadn't expected Max to be happy when he found out that she could form connections. What she hadn't been expecting was how truly upset he was by the news. She couldn't understand why he reacted so strongly. When they had woken up a few nights ago sharing a connection he hadn't seemed to mind, but any other time the subject had come up he almost looked scared. _What's bothering him so badly?_ She wondered as she tried to form a connection with him one last time. The wall was still there. She looked at him wryly from across the room.

Liz sat on the loveseat and listened to the conversation as it slowly dwindled to a halt. "I guess I'll just try to connect with him." She declared with slight trepidation as she looked from one face to another, each showed a variety of emotions from fear to excitement.

Isabel nodded. "We'll be right here if you need us."

"Thanks," Liz smiled as she slowly began to focus her mind. She caught a look of worry in Max's eyes. She winked at him as she began to search for Jeremy's thoughts. It was difficult to find him over such a long distance, and his thought patterns weren't completely familiar to her yet. When she finally found his mind, she congratulated herself on the achievement. She took a deep breath. Slowly, she entered his consciousness.

At first all she could make out was a vague impression of walls. Liz pushed harder and suddenly she knew where Jeremy was. It was the white room. "Rd-450 should be ready for testing next week. Until then, let's use the MR serum on the subject," she heard Jeremy order. Liz saw several flashes of rats and monkeys in cages being injected with some kind of fluid and then everything faded again.

Liz frowned. She'd never lost a connection before and she wasn't about to let it happen now. Again she tried to unobtrusively force her way into Jeremy's mind. She could hear him whistling and felt whiff of his emotions. He was in a good mood. Liz felt a bright flash of light. She realized he was no longer in the facility, but in the parking lot. She felt a wisp of his thoughts. He was excited to see her. The connection faltered a second time, and Liz felt herself fall back the couch, exhausted by her efforts.

"I told you she shouldn't have done this," Liz heard Max furtively whisper to Michael a few moments later.

"She's fine Maxwell, just give her a minute." The edge in Michael's voice betrayed his own concern.

Liz blinked her dry eyes that had been staring blankly at the ceiling. She slowly rotated her head. Three of her friends where crowded around her with looks of concern. Maria was noticeably absent. Liz's eyes roved the apartment and finally found the diminutive blonde leaning against the doorjamb of her bedroom sniffing a vial of something, obviously distressed. Liz pulled herself into a sitting position as Max slid next to her on the couch and helped prop her up. Liz's eyes rested on a funky clock Maria had placed on top of her TV. She'd been working on the connection for over an hour she realized.

"Are you okay?"

"What did you see?" Michael and Isabel asked simultaneously. Liz held up her hand for a moment as she reoriented herself.

"Max's flash is right." She declared in a distant voice. "It's the white room."

Twenty minutes later Liz stood. "I really should be going; Jeremy's going to be home soon."

Everyone exchanged worried glances. Maria spoke what was on the minds of the whole group. "Are you sure that's safe?"

"What's safe?" Liz asked as she took Maria's keys off the table.

"Going back to the house, I mean, Jeremy's there."

Liz looked disbelievingly at Maria. "I've been living with the guy for six months; I think I can handle it."

Maria came and stood next to Liz. "But that was before we knew this" Maria whispered as if afraid Jeremy could overhear them.

"And he has no idea that we know. I'll be fine." Liz stated as she headed for the door. "I'll be back later to return the car."

Maria nodded and shot her best friend a worried glance. "Call me," she commanded as Liz opened the door.

Max stood suddenly. "I'll walk you out to the car." He declared as he came up behind Liz. Liz waved goodbye to everyone else and headed down the stairs to the parking lot with Max beside her. They were silent until they reached the car.

Max noticed a white garment bag resting in the back seat of Maria's car as Liz unlocked the door. "Your dress?" he asked indicating the bag.

"Um yeah," Liz replied, startled. She had not expected that question.

"What does it look like?" Max asked. He was suddenly curious to know if what he'd seen in his flash was accurate.

"Well, it's white and strapless with lots of beading on the train. It's hard to describe." Liz smiled. "Maria thought I looked like a goddess in it, so I bought it."

Max smiled, remembering how she looked in his flash. "You did," he said unintentionally.

Liz's gaze searched Max's face. "How do you know that?"

Max leaned against the car. "I had several other flashes besides the one I told you about. One was of you wearing that dress." He looked straight into Liz's brown eyes.

Liz sucked in a quick breath before she blurted out "you saw the wedding?" Max nodded. "After seeing that flash, I never believed I'd actually marry him." She mused softly.

"You did," Max informed her. "You were too afraid of what would happen if you didn't."

Suddenly everything clicked into place. Liz could see her life spread before her like an open book. She married Jeremy to protect Max and the others. When he moved to Washington she went with him. She must have continued to spy on Jeremy so as to protect her friends. Max must have followed her to Virginia for some reason and Jeremy found out. It would explain all of her flashes. Her mouth formed an "oh" that never quite escaped her lips at the realization.

Max cleared his throat. "I had another flash of us getting married too."

"Again?" Liz asked absentmindedly as she tried to process all she was beginning to understand.

"No, this one was different," Max said with significance.

Liz refocused her eyes on Max, "different how?"

"It didn't look like we were in Vegas. But I said something about it being better than the Elvis Chapel so we might have been in Vegas…" He trailed off. After a beat he resumed saying, "Kyle was with us, and we all seemed… older somehow."

Liz shook her head with a frown. "I don't understand where that's coming from," she puzzled.

"That implies that we knew where the first one came from," Max joked. When Liz looked up, Max realized she knew something. "You know where the first flash came from?" he asked incredulously.

Liz nodded slowly. "It's a long story Max." She leaned up against the hot metal of the car. "And Jeremy's going to be home soon. I promise I'll explain what it means later."

Max looked back at Liz with a stubborn expression. "So tell him you got a late start," he commanded, blocking her door.

Liz shifted uncomfortably as she tried to figure out what the best way was to explain Future Max to him. She sighed as she decided to start with what he already knew. "Remember when you thought Kyle and I had slept together?"

Max remembered all too clearly. "You told me you didn't sleep with him though."

Liz let out a sharp breath that could have passed for a chuckle or a sob; Max was unsure which. "I didn't. But what I never got to explain to you is why you saw what you saw."

Max frowned. Liz's uncharacteristic actions during that time had often puzzled him. He still didn't understand how the flash of them getting married could be related and his brain was trying to come up with possible explanations, but he found none. "So what happened?" He inquired when Liz wasn't forthcoming with an explanation.

She ran her hands through her hair as she began. "The night you came and sang to me, I had a visitor who told me that fourteen years into the future the world was destroyed. He asked me to help him change what happened."

Max tensed, imagining the worst. "Who was he?"

"You," Liz breathed, "you came to me from the future. You needed me to help you change what happened in that timeline."

"What exactly happened Liz?" Max was genuinely perplexed.

Liz felt a bitter smile tug at her mouth. "We fell in love. The problem was Tess left town before the Skins arrived. Without her you couldn't defeat them and slowly they hunted you down and killed Michael and Isabel, and took over this world."

Max felt ill hearing Tess' name. "We would have been better off without her." He said resentfully.

"No you wouldn't have Max." Liz pleaded. "Isabel and Michael would be dead, and Kivar would have won. You, well the future you at least, couldn't let that happen." She paused because she knew was about to say sounded ridiculous. Still, she blundered on with her explanation. "To protect us all, he asked me to make you fall out of love with me."

Max flinched remembering the events that happened soon after that. "How would that have changed anything?" He asked in a pained voice.

"Tess left because of our relationship. So he wanted me to push you away and help you get close to her." Liz paused for a moment, lost in her thoughts. "We didn't know Tess was a traitor," Liz added.

"So when you came to talk to me that night, you knew all of this?" Liz nodded. "Why the hell didn't you say anything Liz?"

"He told me no one could know that he was there." She said desperately willing Max to understand why she had done what she had done.

"It was a set up," Max whispered.

"Yeah," Liz confirmed.

"What does all this have to do with the flash?" He asked absently, as his mind ran freely over the events of the past trying to piece together the final pieces of the puzzle.

"He told me we eloped and got married in the Elvis Chapel in Vegas when we were nineteen. I'm not completely sure, but I think what we've been seeing is that wedding."

Max chuckled softly, "Nineteen?"

"Nineteen."

"That would explain why I felt it happened in the past," Max mused.

"Yeah," Liz said softly as she reached out and touched his arm. "I'm sorry I didn't tell you Max, but I thought I was doing the right thing."

Max smiled lopsidedly. "Well I guess I can't complain when you saved the world."

Liz rolled her eyes self consciously. "I don't know about that."

Max gently lifted her chin. "I'm sorry you had to do that Liz." He paused, "and I'm sorry we never got our wedding."

Liz chuckled. "Maybe it just wasn't meant to be." She tried to downplay how disappointed she was. She turned and opened the car door and felt a blast of heat escape. "I really have to go Max," she said as she slid into the hot seat of the car.

"I know," Max knelt beside the open door and looked at Liz. "Promise me you'll be careful?"

Liz nodded but remained silent. Max touched her knee lightly for a moment and then rose. "If you have any problems, connect with Isabel and let her know." He stated as he shut her door.

"Okay," she said softly as she started the engine and drove out of the parking lot. Neither one of them noticed the jeep parked across the street start and follow Liz back to the Crashdown.

**A/N 2: So several of you had mentioned Maria's reaction to finding out that Liz can connect with everyone. I added more to her reaction than I'd originally written. It's still not enough to show how she probably feels about EVERYTHING, but it's a start. I'll try to work some more stuff in, but as a lot of this story has alreadybeen typed, it's hard to insert changes without MAJOR, time consuming revisions that I don't have the time/energy for at the moment. **

**What did you guys think of Max _finally_ finding out the real story of future Max? Was it everything you hoped for? I'm sure there's alot of people muttering "finally" at the moment but really, after keeping the secret for so long, I imagine it'd be hard to get the courage to say it. At least that's the premise I'm working on. **

**Now that I've given you a little insight into _my_ head, give me some into yours: Reveiw!**


	27. Chapter 27: Go For It

**A/N: Has it really been a month since I updated? Yesh! Sorry it took so long to get this up. Thanks for all the reveiws! Enjoy!**

**Chapter 27**

Liz pulled Maria's car into the alleyway behind the Crashdown. She quickly unlocked the backseat and wrestled her dress out the door. She was halfway to the backdoor when she heard "Is that you Lizzie?" Liz turned around to see an older woman with a silver bob striding towards her from the street.

"Hi," Liz said shyly as the woman came up to her. The woman's tanned oval face was slightly familiar and Liz tried to place her.

The woman wrapped her into a hug, dress and all. Liz stood stiffly remembering how often people she barely knew would do this to her when she was younger. Suddenly she longed for the anonymity of Berkeley. "Your mom said you were getting married. Where's the ring?" The woman demanded as she grabbed Liz's left hand. She clucked approvingly as she examined the ring. Liz sighed audibly. The woman looked up. "Oh dear, I'm sorry. Here I am keeping you in this heat, with that heavy bag…is that your dress?"

Liz forced a smile and nodded. "Yes. I just picked it up." Who on earth is this? She wondered as she tried to remember back three years to the last time she was here. Oh of course, this must be Mrs. Arnold, the town's gossip. Liz's memory came back in full force. This was the same woman who would give her advice on men and dating when she was eight… Liz's strained smile disappeared rapidly, and she hoped she wasn't about to give her advice on sex now that she was engaged…

"Well I best let you get it inside. Congratulations dearie." The woman beamed as she crushed Liz in a last embrace before she made her way back out of the alley. Liz shook her head in relief as she unlocked the door and gratefully slipped into the cool apartment.

Liz was hanging her dress in the back of her closet when her mom came in. "So?" Nancy asked calmly after Liz had given her a quick hug. "Where's the dress?" Liz could hear the excitement creeping into her mom's voice. She grinned and pulled the white garment bag out of the closet and hung it on the back of the closet door as she unzipped it. Nancy gasped as Liz pulled the dress from its covering. "Oh honey, it's beautiful."

Liz felt a tiny pang of guilt. Her mother was looking forward to this wedding. Liz didn't want to even think about how she was going to tell her that she'd decided not to marry Jeremy. Liz looked at her mom's beaming face and asked hesitantly "Do you think there's enough time for me to try it on for you before Jeremy gets home?"

Nancy grinned. "You bet, and if not, we'll just lock the door for good measure." She shut the door and locked it with a conspiratorial wink.

Liz grinned and took the heavy gown off the hanger and walked into the bathroom with it trailing over her arm. "Mom can you zip me?" She called a few moments later as she waddled into the bedroom trying to hold the strapless gown up with her hands. Nancy blinked as her eyes moistened with joy. She crossed the room and zipped up Liz's dress before examining her only daughter.

"Oh honey! My baby's really getting married." She murmured as she turned to hide the tears that were brimming in her eyes.

"My veil's in here somewhere…" Liz added uncomfortably when she saw her mom's tears. She rummaged zealously through the garment bag and produced a long, lace trimmed veil. She stood in front of her full length mirror as she fastened it to her head. Her mom stood behind her with a smile.

"You're beautiful," Nancy stated.

"I think you might be biased mom, but thanks." Liz turned to hug her mom. In the process she tripped over the dress which was still slightly too long in the front and went hurtling into her mom who tried to steady her. They both ended up falling on the bed. "Are you okay?" Liz asked quickly.

"I'm fine; you didn't tear your dress did you?" Nancy asked as she stood, pulling Liz with her.

Liz looked for damage but didn't see any. "I think its okay."

Nancy was taking a closer inspection of the dress. "You didn't have any alterations made have you?"

"No, Isabel will…I mean, knows someone who can do it here, so I figured it'd be easier than going back and forth." Liz explained, hoping her mom didn't catch her slip.

Nancy nodded and held Liz at arms length. "You're breathtaking. Jeremy's a lucky guy."

"You think?" Liz asked as she fiddled with her veil.

"You're the most beautiful bride in the world." Nancy sat on the bed and dabbed her eyes.

A silence engulfed the room. Simply to keep her thoughts from returning to what she had to do; Liz said "I still haven't decided on a necklace. Do you have any ideas?"

Nancy thoughtfully considered her daughter. "You know, I might just have something…" She trailed off as she headed for the door. "It could be your something borrowed." She opened the door and almost plowed into Jeremy.

* * *

Jeremy had arrived to hear muffled voices from Liz's bedroom. He quietly closed the door and snuck surreptitiously to the door to listen. He couldn't hear what they were saying, but he thought he heard giggling. He tried the door. It was locked She must be trying on her dress he reasoned. He stayed at the door for a few moments listening. As he was about to knock, the door swung open revealing Nancy Parker, and behind her he caught a glimpse of Liz in a white dress.

"Jeremy!" Nancy exclaimed and quickly shut the door behind her. "We didn't hear you come home!"

Jeremy shrugged. "Sorry. I didn't mean to startle you. Is Liz in there?"

Nancy surveyed her future son-in-law. "Yes, she was showing me her dress."

He reached past her and started to open the door. Nancy quickly stood in front of him. "Sorry son, you don't get to see the dress till the wedding. Go make yourself comfortable, we'll be out soon." Jeremy grunted in annoyance and headed back to the living room. He switched on the TV and watched the news as he strained to hear anything coming from Liz's bedroom. He found it odd that he couldn't hear very much.

Almost a half an hour later, Liz and Nancy emerged from the bedroom arm in arm. "Hey honey." he greeted Liz as he muted the TV and tossed the remote on the couch before he stood and enveloped Liz in a hug. Liz hugged him back and gave him a quick peck on the cheek. "Is that all I get after waiting for you two to finish?" He asked teasingly. "I'm sure your mom wouldn't mind if I got a real kiss, would ya Nancy?" He winked.

"Go for it," Nancy said, and then bit her lip at the double meaning behind her words. "I mean, uh, give the man a kiss. I'm just gonna go and put some things away." She informed them as she made her way into the master bedroom feeling slightly embarrassed.

Liz chuckled in embarrassment at her mom's words. Jeremy raised his eyebrows as if to ask 'well?' Liz leaned forward and kissed him. As he deepened the kiss, Liz began to see flashes of Jeremy's childhood. She chuckled against his lips as she saw him dressed in a cowboy hat and chaps.

"What," he murmured as he drew away slightly.

"Nothing," she frantically tried to think of something to say, "just missed this." She couldn't believe she had just connected with him. It was a surreal feeling getting flashes while kissing someone other than Max. She tried to put up a mental block so that she wouldn't send, and hopefully wouldn't get any more flashes. If Jeremy got a flash from her…her mind stopped.

Jeremy grinned and kissed her again, and then pulled her to the couch with him. Liz landed on top of the remote control, and the sound from the TV began to blare. Liz shifted as she pulled the remote out from underneath her and turned down the volume thanking the interruption to the make out session. She grinned at him and nodded to the other room where Nancy's head had appeared. "Happy?" She asked him as she leaned back embarrassed that perhaps her mom had seen them.

"For now," he replied before grabbing the remote from her. He placed his arm around her shoulders as he began his search for something to watch. "So I hear you got your dress."

"Yep," Liz answered "I'm dropping it off tomorrow for alterations."

"Can I come?" He teased.

"Absolutely not! You're not allowed to see the dress yet." Liz declared.

"Good thing it's only a few weeks away, I'm not a patient man." Jeremy replied as he turned his attention back to the TV.

Liz wondered briefly about what he meant when he said he wasn't a patient man. After a moment's reflection she chastised herself for trying to find meanings in everything Jeremy said. "Oh I love that movie," she said a few minutes later when they came across the movie Twister. Jeremy nodded and set down the remote. They spent the rest of the evening watching the movie and cuddling. Liz thoughts couldn't have been any further away.


	28. Chapter 28: Mr Spy Man

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**To celebrate, here's the next chapter!**

**Chapter 28**

Max punched his pillow savagely and rolled over. Liz's words kept echoing in his head. 'To protect us all, he asked me to make you fall out of love with me.' 'We eloped and got married in Vegas when we were nineteen.' 'It's the white room.' 'Maybe it just wasn't meant to be.' Max sat up and glared at his clock. It read 4 am, and there was no indication that he was ever going to fall asleep. He stretched and got out of bed. He spent several moments at his window looking at the stars. They twinkled brightly in the sky. His eyes traced the cloudy outline of the Milky Way and remembered what it looked like from the other side of the galaxy. It was even more beautiful. He heaved a sigh and flopped back on his bed, brooding.

When Diane Evans made her way into the kitchen at six the next morning, she found a disheveled, brooding, Max sitting at the table with his head resting on his hand. She lightly caressed his back and he jumped at the touch. "Oh! Morning mom," he grumbled. She cracked a smile as she started the coffee pot.

"You're up pretty early. What's on your mind?" She asked after she poured herself a cup and had sat across the table from him for a few moments. Max rubbed his hands over his face and shrugged keeping his eyes fixed on the table in front of him. Diane took another sip of coffee. When Max remained silent, she spoke. "I know you've never been one to share things with me Max, but honey, don't you think after all we've been through you can trust me now?"

Max looked into his mom's eyes. There was worry creased into her forehead and her eyes held his pleadingly. "It's not that I don't trust you mom, it's just that I don't know where to begin," he replied.

Diane nodded. "Start at the beginning," she encouraged.

Max smiled wryly, wondering which beginning to start with. When he healed Liz, when he was captured by the FBI, or when Future Max came and made Liz trick him into believing she'd slept with Kyle? There were so many beginnings. Though their parents knew about their non human status, there was still so much he'd not told them… to tell his mom what he was thinking would require he explain at least some of the things he'd done while in High School. Some things were better left in the past he decided. Max shook his head slightly. "I can't," he said in soft desperation.

Diane stood and wrapped her son in her arms. "It's gonna be okay honey. Whatever it is, you've got a lot of people who care about you." Max wrapped his arms around his mom's waist.

"Thanks mom," he said hoarsely before he released her.

Diane smiled down at him. She remembered him as a little boy, and yet here he was a man. In his eyes, she could see the pain and the worry that he was experiencing and she knew that it was only a small amount of the emotions that he held within him. "Can you at least tell me if it's serious?"

Max nodded as he mumbled, "yeah it is."

"Does it have to do with Antar?" Diane asked reluctantly.

"No," Max said simply, unwilling to elaborate on what he wasn't sure he could express.

"Is there someone else you could talk to about this, maybe Isabel or Michael?" Diane asked. She wanted more than anything to share his confidence, but if he wouldn't confide in her, maybe he would to someone else. Max shook his head. "What about Liz?" Diane asked, remembering how close the two of them had seemed to be at one time.

Max felt like he'd been punched. Without realizing it he said, "I've already talked to her."

Diane looked at his stricken face and a new realization dawned on her. "Is this about Liz getting married Max?"

Max looked away and ran a hand through his hair. Diane sighed, "You still love her, don't you?" Max nodded slowly but said nothing.

The two sat in silence for several minutes. Diane studied her son intently while he seemed deeply lost in his thoughts. "You know," Diane began, "one time right after you and Isabel left, Sheriff Valenti told me something I've never forgotten." Max looked at her inquiringly. "He told me that you were one of the most loyal, noble men he'd ever met. He was right. Honey, sometimes the noble thing is to let go. Liz made her decision and you have to respect that."

Max shook his head and laughed dryly. "There's a lot more to it than that mom, but I appreciate your advice. If the situation was different…" Max trailed off. He stood and kissed his mom's cheek. "Love you," he whispered in her ear before he headed towards the stairs.

"Max," Diane called back to him. He turned. Diane's mind failed her. What questions could she ask that would make him confide in her? She opened her mouth but nothing came out. Finally she managed to say "I love you too."

Diane spent the next half hour nursing her coffee and puzzling over the mystery that was her son and wondering what was so wrong with Liz marrying Jeremy… he seemed like such a nice young man…

* * *

Liz barely finished her first cup of coffee when she heard an insistent knocking on her front door. She reluctantly opened the door to find an annoyed Maria. "You never called, or returned the car," she complained as she barged into the living room.

"I'm sorry Maria, I completely forgot about the car!" Liz exclaimed as she grabbed her purse and began rummaging through it for Maria's keys. When she found them she handed them to Maria with an apologetic glance. Maria took them, then settled herself onto the couch and looked at her expectantly.

"Well? What happened last night?" Maria finally enquired after looking for signs that anyone else was home.

"Nothing," Liz replied. "I showed mom the dress and then Jeremy came home. We watched a movie and had pizza for dinner." Liz added seeing the doubtful look on the other girl's face.

"That's it?" Maria asked incredulously.

"That's it," Liz confirmed.

"Then why didn't you call me?"

Liz winced at Maria's volume level and then broke in before she could continue her tirade. "I forgot Maria, I'm really sorry but I just… forgot."

"Do you have any idea how worried I was? I mean what if…"

Liz put her finger to her mouth when she heard a key unlocking the front door. Maria froze. As the door started to open Liz quickly changed the subject. "So how did you get over here anyway?"

Maria opened her mouth once, and nothing came out. She took a deep cleansing breath before she replied. "Jim gave me a ride on the way to the station." Liz gave Maria an odd look. "What?" Maria demanded.

"I'm sorry; it's just 'Jim.' I know he's your stepdad and all, but still…" Liz trailed off as Jeremy came into the apartment.

Maria chuckled. Her back was to the front door, so she had no idea who had just come in, so she continued lightly. "Yeah well, mom's been married to him for over six months now. I couldn't keep calling him sheriff forever." Maria wondered if she sounded nervous.

Liz nodded reassuringly before she looked up at Jeremy. "Hey honey, what are you doing back?"

"I forgot my cell phone," Jeremy explained. "Hi Maria," he greeted her as he quickly headed into the bedroom.

When he didn't reappear instantaneously, Liz called out. "You better not be looking for my dress too, Mr. Spy Man!" Maria's eyes widened when she heard Liz's endearment but remained silent.

They heard a slight shuffling sound and then Jeremy reentered the room holding his cell phone. "Guilty as charged," he grinned and planted a kiss on Liz's cheek.

"You didn't find it, did you?" Liz asked in what she hoped was a teasing voice.

"Not with you yelling at me." He replied as he pulled her from her chair and into his arms. "I guess I'll just have to find it later…" Jeremy gave her a kiss.

Maria averted her eyes but couldn't resist making a slight sound of discomfort. Jeremy turned and smiled sheepishly at her. "I'd forgotten we had company. Sorry Maria. It was nice to see you."

"You too," Maria said with an ironic grin and a wave of her hand.

It was lost on Jeremy who was giving Liz one last squeeze before heading out the door. "See you tonight," he declared before shutting the door behind him. Once he left, the apartment was silent except for the faint ticking of the clock in the kitchen. Liz flopped back into her chair and let out a frustrated sigh. Having to act like a 'happy fiancée' was draining, but after spending so much of her life pretending she knew she could keep up the act.

Maria saw the strain that appeared on her friend's face and suddenly she understood that Liz's bravado was an act. This was far from easy for her friend, but it was what they had to do. Maria smiled sympathetically.

Liz returned her smile and sat up brightly. "So are you working at your mom's shop today?"

"Yep. I should probably get going. Mom's expecting me in twenty minutes."

"Do you think you could drop me off at Isabel's on the way? I'm supposed to be 'going with her' to have alterations done on my dress," Liz winked.

Maria grinned back. "Absolutely babe," she replied trying to sound upbeat and shake off her feelings of worry and unease. Now was neither the time nor place to get into everything.

"Lemmie just get dressed really quick and we'll go," Liz said as she disappeared into her room.

Maria pulled up in front of the Evan's home. "Thank you for using DeLuca chauffer service. Please be sure to collect all your belongings before exiting the vehicle." Maria said in her best stewardess voice.

Liz chortled as she wrestled her dress out from the back of the car. "Thanks Maria. Can you just wait until I'm sure Isabel's here?" Maria nodded as Liz headed to the front door. She rang the bell and a few moments later, Max swung the door open cautiously.

He leaned on the open door as he greeted her. "Hey."

"Hey. I told Jeremy I was going out with Isabel to get my dress altered, I figured I should at least drop it off so it looks like its being done."

He opened the door wider. "Come in. She's upstairs."

Liz waved quickly at Maria before entering. It wasn't until Liz was in the house that she realized that Max was still in his boxers and a t-shirt. She quickly averted her eyes. Diane Evans was cleaning up the kitchen after what Liz guessed was breakfast. She looked up and saw Liz. "Hi Liz! How are you?" Diane dried her hands and walked into the foyer to give Liz a quick hug.

"I'm good; just dropping off my dress for Isabel to alter."

Diane smiled knowingly. "That's great. How is the planning going?"

Liz shot an enquiring glance at Max who shook his head in response to her unasked question. No, his mom didn't know about the current situation. "It's fine. Just… really busy I guess. I had no idea there were so many things to do to prepare for a wedding."

Diane laughed, "I remember that feeling. I think Isabel's upstairs, if you want to head up."

"Thanks," Liz said as she tossed her heavy garment bag over her shoulder and headed up the stairs. How one dress could weigh so much was beyond her she marveled as she bent forward to accommodate the weight of the dress.

"Let me take that," Max gently lifted the garment bag out of Liz's hands and ushered her up the stairs. Liz felt the hairs on her arm stand on end and the small of her back tingle where Max's hand rested lightly.

* * *

Diane watched their retreating figures and frowned worriedly. After her conversation with her son earlier that morning she wondered what exactly was happening with the two of them. Max had been very vague about Liz's flash almost a week before, other than it was serious, and the looks that the two had just exchanged made her wonder if they were "connected" as Michael had called it. Despite knowing that there were three aliens living under her roof she still wasn't not completely comfortable with seeing them use their powers. Then a thought crystallized in her mind. Did Jeremy Highland know about Max and the others? If so, how did he feel about their connections? She couldn't imagine that he liked it. Her thoughts were interrupted by the insistent buzz of the doorbell. She opened it to find Sheriff Valenti standing on the other side. 


	29. Chapter 29: Alterations

**A/N: AWWW people LOVE me! I have 175 reveiws! That, and people are actually worried about Valenti. How fun! Here's the answer to some of your questions. The others will have to wait. Enjoy, and as always, I love an in-depth reveiw! Wink, Wink, Nudge, Nudge.**

**Chapter 29**

"Morning Diane," Jim said casually. "I need to talk to Max, is he here?" Jim had spent the last few days stewing over Michael's odd behavior the night he found him in the alley behind the station, as well as his own son's sudden need for extra meditation time.

"Of course, come in. Max!" Diane called, "The sheriff is here to see you." She smiled and gestured for him to have a seat in the living room. Jim smiled dazzlingly as he finally took off his mirrored sunglasses. He saw Max frowning as he came down the stairs.

"Sheriff, is everything okay?" Max asked seriously after they'd greeted each other and Diane retreated to the kitchen.

Jim opened his mouth and shut it again. He'd prefer to be left in the dark about most alien related business but the uneasy feeling in the back of his mind had been nagging him for too long to ignore it. "Actually, I saw Mr. Guerin the other evening and he appeared pretty agitated; Kyle's been the same way. I was hoping you might be able to tell me what's going on Max."

Max rubbed a hand over his face and sat down on the loveseat and motioned for Jim to sit on the sofa. "Do you want the short or long version?" His face didn't quite match the joking tone.

"Which one do you want to tell me?" It'd been a long time since Jim had needed to deal with the weirdness that surrounded Max Evans' life, and he wasn't sure he'd missed it.

"You know that Liz's fiancé Jeremy is working at Eagle Rock?"

"Kyle mentioned something about him working for the FBI." Jim paused for a beat as the implications of what he had learned hit him. "Wait a minute; you think he's an alien hunter?" Jim sat on the edge of his seat. "Are you sure?" He asked as Max nodded.

"Liz saw him working in the white room." Max looked into the older man's blue eyes. Jim could see a hint of terror swimming in them.

He leaned back on the sofa and readjusted his cowboy hat. "Does he suspect you?"

"We don't think so, but we know he's dangerous. We're trying to figure out how to protect ourselves and Liz."

"Why would Liz be in danger?" Jim frowned.

"Liz has somehow developed some powers," Max looked anywhere but the sheriff's face. "If she marries him, her life is in danger."

Jim could tell Max was uncomfortable. There was much more to this story than he was telling. "Maybe I should hear the long version, Max. There's obviously more to this than you're telling me."

Liz had just slipped on her dress when she heard Mrs. Evans announce that Sheriff Valenti was downstairs. She and Isabel caught each other's eyes. Isabel let out a shaky chuckle. "Even after all this time, I still feel nervous when I hear Valenti's here."

Liz smiled empathetically. "Can you zip me?" She asked as she wadded across the room with fabric from the dress flowing in all directions. She hoped it would distract Isabel from the unexpected visitor downstairs.

Isabel held up her hand, and Liz felt the zipper inch up her back. "I love when you do that." The two girls shared an understanding grin.

"So it looks like the hem needs to be about… here…" Isabel waved her hand over the bottom of the dress and it shortened itself. "And we need to make it a little more snug here." She waved her hand again over the strapless bodice.

"Too snug!" Liz gasped as she felt the dress tighten.

"Sorry," Isabel muttered as she passed her hand over the dress again, "better?"

Liz nodded. After a few moments of Isabel fussing with her gown, Liz said "When we finish, I was hoping I could try to connect to Jeremy again?"

Isabel sat on her bed and looked at her friend. "Yeah, I guess. I still don't know why Max wants someone with you though."

Liz shrugged, "neither do I, but I'd rather have someone with me anyways."

Isabel nodded. She flipped her hair behind her and studied the dress again. "I think we need to add some more fluff here…"

"I won't be able fit through the door if it's fluffier, Iz." Liz complained.

"Damn," Jim muttered when Max finished his story. His head was swimming with revelations about the strength of the Alien's powers now, as well as Liz's newly developed ones. "So why hasn't Liz just called off the wedding?"

Max twisted his mouth into an unhappy grimace. "After her flash, Liz decided that if she broke off their engagement, Jeremy might assume it's because of me. She's afraid he'll come after me to get even."

Both men heard a stifled chuckle behind them and turned to see Isabel standing in the doorway. "You make it sound like a soap opera, Max," she declared. "Hi sheriff," she added brightly as Jim stood and tipped his hat at her. She stood awkwardly for a moment. "I'm just grabbing another cup of coffee for Liz, so ignore me," she explained as she headed into the kitchen.

"Liz is here to have Isabel alter the wedding dress," Max said casually. "We have to keep up appearances until we know more."

Jim nodded. "Though being seen in the same house as you is not going to make this better."

"It's my house too," Isabel interjected as she emerged from the kitchen holding two cups of coffee in her hands. "Besides, Liz already told Jeremy we were going to spend the day together."

Jim could hear the defensiveness in Isabel's tone. "That's fine Isabel; I'm just saying that if this guy is as jealous as Liz seems to think, it might not be wise for her to be seen with Max, at all."

Isabel rolled her eyes. "That was the problem before; Liz isolated herself from us, and we weren't able to protect her. I'm not letting that happen again. Find a new plan." She demanded as she headed upstairs leaving the two men sitting silently in her wake.

Isabel held out her hand to the closed door and it swung open. "You won't believe what Valenti is suggesting…" Isabel stopped mid sentence. Liz was lying on her bed with her eyes open. Isabel could feel the connection. Isabel didn't have to guess who she was connecting to. She set the coffee on her dresser and sat beside Liz.

She quickly connected with Liz. She saw the outside of her home and felt Jeremy's black anger swirling around her. He was spying on Liz, she realized. A flash popped into their minds of Max opening the door in his boxers and grinning when he saw Liz. A moment later, everything went black and they were both lying in Isabel's room.

"This is bad," Liz whispered.

"We have to tell Max," Isabel said solemnly. "Valenti was just saying that it would be bad for Jeremy to see you with him."

Liz sat up. "Grab the dress. We need to do damage control. He needs to see us doing what I told him we would."

Isabel nodded and slid the plastic garment bag over the dress. She looked over at her friend who looked scared and pale. "Are you okay?" She asked as she slung the dress over a chair and sat on the corner of the bed.

"He was so angry Iz." She said in a tiny voice.

Before Isabel could respond, Liz had leaned forward and hugged her tightly. Isabel held her friend for several moments. Isabel and Liz both pulled away when they heard the door open.

Max entered holding the phone in his hand. "We have a problem," he declared. "Valenti just saw Jeremy parked outside the house."

"We know. He followed me here," Liz said.

"Why didn't you tell me?" Max demanded.

"We just connected with Jeremy and found out." Isabel's voice was deadly calm.

Max looked at his sister and back at Liz again. "We need a new plan."


	30. Chapter 30: Don't do anything I would

**A/N: I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I'm sorry! I know I promised some that I'd update on Friday. Well, life bit me in the butt and I couldn't get it out. Also, it's short, so sorry it's not as long as you might be expecting. It's kind of a filler chapter, but I decided to add it anyways. As always, I love your reveiws, especially when there's something constructive to say, or a specific part that you liked...**

**Happy Reading!**

**Chapter 30**

The loud voices had woken Michael up. He stumbled into Isabel's room. He immediately felt the tension in the room, and for once it wasn't the sexual stuff between Max and Liz. This was BAD. "What's going on?" He asked gruffly.

"Jeremy's outside," Max said in a pregnant tone.

"Doing what?" Michael asked as he rubbed his hands over his face trying to clear the fog of sleepiness from his brain.

"He's been following me," Liz explained.

Michael frowned. "This guy is starting to piss me off. Why don't we just blast him?" The look of concern that crossed Liz's face told him that his jest was not well received. He grunted as he sat down on Isabel's bed. "Well Maxwell, since it appears blasting him isn't an option, what's the plan?"

Max folded his arms and leaned back against the wall. "We don't have one," he replied.

Michael frowned. Liz was fidgeting with Isabel's curtains, and peaking out the window. Isabel was standing there looking worried, and Max was watching Liz. "So he's out there right now?" Michael clarified.

"Yep," the worried tone in Isabel's voice made him feel increasingly uneasy.

"Valenti was also here this morning. He thinks until we know more, Liz shouldn't be seen with me at all." Max added a moment later.

"And I said that's not acceptable," Isabel shot back.

Michael looked at Liz, expecting her to say that she agreed with Isabel. He was surprised when she was completely silent. He ran his hands through his hair. "Well we better come up with a plan fast." He declared as his eyes continued to watch Liz. A moment later, he felt the connection begin.

_Liz?_ Michael demanded her attention.

_Michael, get out_. She commanded. _I can't deal with you right now._

_Well you're going to have to. This thing with Jeremy has gone on long enough_, he retorted. _It's time we did something._

_We have been doing something Michael. _Michael heard Isabel proclaim. _It's just not blasting him into bits. We just got back to Roswell, and we don't even know if the FBI knows we're here. That's why we're keeping him around, so we can find out._

_Guys, whatever the reason is, we need to do some damage control, now. I can't go home tonight if he thinks I spent the whole day here… with Max. _Liz said as she turned from the window and looked into Max's face. He was watching the three of them intently but refused to join the connection.

The others heard Liz sigh. "Max, I think we need to leave now. We'll meet at Maria's later and come up with a plan, okay?" She asked softly as she shut off her connection and grabbed her purse.

"I don't think that's safe Liz," Max said firmly.

"Max it'll be worse if I don't leave," she reasoned. "Besides, Isabel will be with me. We'll be fine."

Michael grumbled. He didn't like this at all. Jeremy was becoming a huge liability and he didn't want to sit and wait around to find out how big of one he could become. "I think we need to think of a way to get rid of him fast, Maxwell." Michael voiced his thoughts as he watched Isabel and Liz descend the stairs, lugging Liz's dress between them.

Max simply ignored him and followed the girls downstairs. "Liz," he said softly as he touched her arm. "I really don't think you should leave."

Michael noted Liz's stony expression. He'd come to know it well since he'd arrived back in Roswell. He could imagine that she was mentally telling someone off. He wondered if it was Max. The thought made him smile mirthlessly. If she was pissed off at Max for his concern, who knows what would happen next.

"Hey Liz," Michael mumbled.

Liz turned and faced him. "Whatever it is, tell me later Michael," she said flatly.

"Just don't do anything I would…" He joked, hoping she would understand what he really meant. He was rewarded with a half smile.

_Wouldn't dream of it,_ he heard her thoughts whisper to him and she and Isabel headed out the front door. He smiled slightly as the door shut in front of him, accompanied by angry muttering from Max. Michael shook his head and headed into the kitchen. He needed coffee, badly.

* * *

Isabel returned home late that afternoon. After they'd "dropped off" the dress for alterations, she and Liz and gone for lunch and then visited Maria at Amy's shop. It'd been difficult and stressful for both of them pretending that they were having fun when neither one could forget what they felt that morning when they'd connected to Jeremy, or the fact that he was undoubtedly still following them.

Isabel tried to hide a bemused smile when she saw Max's failed attempt to look casual as he wandered downstairs and into the living room where she had collapsed on the couch. She knew he would want a full report. She shook her head. "Wait for Michael," she said before he had a chance to ask. "I only want to get yelled at once."

As if on cue, Michael also appeared in the living room. "How's Liz?"

Isabel leveled her eyes at him. "The same as she was when you connected with her fifteen minutes ago, I imagine," she replied dryly. She saw Max frown at Michael and she knew flippant comment was not well received.

"We have a bigger problem…" she quickly stated. Michael and Max's attention immediately snapped back to her as she explained. "Liz has a plan, and I don't think you're going to like it…."


	31. Chapter 31:Point of no Return

**A/N: How shocked are you with a quick update? I've been enjoying the feedback on this, so I figured I'd put you guys out of your misery and let you see what I had planned next. If you reveiw no other chapter, I'd really appreciate your opinions on this one. Bats Eyelashes and looks pleadingly at moniter**

**Also, a word of warning, there's some cussing and domestic abuse issues that arise in this chapter. It's still pretty mild and within the T rating, but I know it can be a sensitive subject, so read with care. (It sucks that I feel the need to put this up cause now some of my more intrepid readers are going to figure out where I'm going... sigh.) Happy reading!**

**Chapter 31**

_It's time, _Liz thought as she checked herself in her bathroom mirror one more time. The tears that were already filling her eyes did not bode well for what was about to happen. She took a deep breath. She had to do this. She shut her eyes tight and reviewed what she had to say to him. He was going to hate her, _but that's kind of the point, _she thought ironically. It seemed she'd done this before. She felt a sad smile tug at her lips as she left her room.

"I'm heading over to Maria's!" She announced to her parents. As she headed down the stairs, she met Jeremy on the way up. "Hey! I'm on my way over to pick up this picture that Maria swears is the best wedding bouquet ever. You want to come?"

Jeremy quirked his eyebrows at her as he said "I don't know that sounds dangerously like girl talk…"

Liz laughed. "It is, but since you're marrying a girl, I'd have thought you'd want to practice your skills." She winked at him and smiled.

"I think I'll pass," Jeremy replied a moment later. "I had a long day."

Liz felt her stomach plummet. She knew what was going to happen next. She frowned and tried to look concerned. "What's wrong honey?"

Jeremy caught her hand and played with it briefly. "Can we talk for a minute?"

"Sure," Liz nodded as he led her back downstairs and outside. They walked in silence down the streets of Roswell until they came to the park. The sun was still pretty high in the sky and there were a lot of people walking their dogs and multitudes of children playing. Jeremy led her to a semi-secluded section underneath a huge elm tree. "I love you. You know that right?"

Liz nodded. "Yeah, I know," she said softly as he took her hand in his.

"You know I'd do anything for you?" He dropped her hand and turned away from her and began to pace. "I'd work at this government base in the middle of nowhere forever if it meant being near you. I'd go to Las Vegas and marry you right now if you wanted, and if you ever asked me for anything, I'd move heaven and earth if I had to, so you could have it."

Liz smiled and again she said softly, "I know."

"Then can you do one thing for me?" He asked as he turned to face her, he wore a serious expression.

Liz took a deep breath. "What?" She whispered, not knowing how to answer the question he was going to ask. She was expecting to have more time….

"Would you stop seeing Max Evans?" Liz thought he looked embarrassed.

Liz didn't say anything. She was no longer paying attention to what Jeremy was saying because she glimpsed Max walking straight towards them.

* * *

"Liz, can we talk?" Max asked as soon as he joined them. He could see Jeremy staring angrily at him and he knew that what he was doing was likely to cause more trouble, but he needed to talk to her…Now.

"This isn't a good time Max," her eyes pleaded with him.

"I can't wait," he replied his eyes begged her to acquiesce. She stood looking between Max and Jeremy. Then he saw her chocolate eyes turn hard and he tensed_. She's going to do it,_ he realized in that instant. _She's going to send me away._

"No. Max, we…you …I can't do this." Liz took a deep breath and continued. "You need to get over it. We're not together. Hell, I don't think we ever really were. There were always too many other things happening. You killed me when you left Max, don't you know that? You killed me. Anything we had died then. I'm getting married, and nothing you say can change that."

"Liz…" Max managed to choke out. He felt like he'd been hit in the gut. In desperation, he tried to open a connection with her so that he could see how he felt. How his day began and ended with thoughts of her. How knowledge that she was alive was the only thing that kept him going on Antar. Tears filled his eyes when he felt that the connection was not only blocked, but that she was repelling him. "… I can't…"

"If I can, so can you." Liz said coldly. The words made Max's blood run cold. The steely edge to her voice was a knife in his heart.

"Please don't say that," he begged, unable to tear his eyes off his soul mate.

Liz shook her head. "There's nothing left to say." She whispered as she leaned into Jeremy. Max saw the tears pooling in the edges of her beautiful eyes. "Goodbye, Max." She walked past him, eyes averted. As she brushed past him and her arm touched his, he flinched as if she'd burned him.

Max stood dumbly as he watched the pair walk back towards the Crashdown. When he could no longer see them he sunk onto a park bench and remembered the last time he'd found himself there, along and bereft of hope. He stared unblinking, one thought permeating his thoughts: _this is the point of no return. __I only hope that it's the right thing to do…_

* * *

Liz locked the bathroom door behind her. Her stomach churned and her eyes burned with tears that stubbornly refused to fall. She hadn't said anything to Jeremy on the way back to the Crashdown. She'd simply come straight to her bathroom. She could sense him hovering outside the door. She heard the bed creak after a few moments and she figured he was lying on the bed. She relaxed a little, only to be attacked by another wave of nausea. A sudden anger flared within her. _Why couldn't Max just stick with the plan? It wasn't that hard. Showing up at the park like that forced me to do that!. _Her stomach revolted as she remembered the anguish written in Max's eyes as she walked away. She quickly leaned her face over the toilet. Nothing happened, but she stayed there for what seemed like hours while her thoughts tormented her.

Liz flinched when she heard the doorknob rattle and the lock click open. For a half a second she envisioned Max's hand glowing over the doorknob, but she knew it couldn't be. He wouldn't dare come here, especially after the scene at the park. She felt a huge, warm hand caress her back. _Jeremy picked the lock._

"Babe?" Jeremy questioned as he knelt down beside her. "I think we need to talk."

Liz sighed heavily as she lifted her head from the toilet and wearily looked up at him. She didn't know what to say.

"What happened between you and Max?" He asked.

Liz shook her head. She knew she was walking a very thin line. Liz decided that the best thing to do was stay as close to the truth as she dared. "We were very close when we were in High School," she began. "We dated all of our sophomore and part of our junior year, but Max had a previous girlfriend who ended up moving back to Roswell, and…" Liz took a deep breath as she mentally edited out all the horrible things that Tess did. "She eventually convinced Max that he needed to find his birth parents. We broke up because he felt that Tess understood what he was going through better than I did. Not long after that, Max left to find his parents; he took Tess with him;" Liz bit her lip before continuing. "It didn't matter that he was with Tess, I still loved him. It took me a long time to realize that he wasn't coming back, and even longer to come to terms with what losing him did to me. When he came back, it was just a reminder of everything that I lost, and somehow I thought I might regain that part of myself by spending time with him… I'm sorry about everything Jeremy, I just didn't know how to handle seeing him again," Liz finished. She looked at his impassive face for a moment before she decided to go for maximum sympathy; she called up every painful memory she ever had, and forced the tears to fall as she stared into Jeremy's green eyes.

Her ploy worked. Jeremy's face softened as he pulled her to him gently and rocked her back and forth. Liz heard him sigh heavily. "He's an idiot to leave you," he whispered in her ear.

Liz allowed him to hold her as she quickly worked to form a connection. It didn't take long before she was in his mind. At first all she could recognize was his tremendous feeling of indignation that Max would treat her so cruelly. As she delved deeper though, she felt a plan beginning to form in his mind. A plan to make Max pay for the pain he'd inflicted on her, and one that would ensure she would be kept away from him forever. Liz shuddered involuntarily at the thought. She carefully tried to hide her thoughts as she continued to listen to him mentally abuse Max as he whispered words of love and comfort in her ear.

Liz couldn't stand it anymore, and she pulled away from him. She studied his eyes for a moment as they sat in silence. _How could you still love him?_ His thoughts rang through her mind.

"Jeremy, I can't do this," she said softly, after a moment.

"What?" He asked, confused.

"Marry you." She replied. "Not here and not now. I thought I was ready, but…." She shook her head, unable to form the words that she needed to say. "I thought I was over him, but the fact that you had to ask me to end it shows that I'm not. I can't do to you what Max did to me. It wouldn't be fair. I want you to go to Washington and have the life you deserve to have. One without doubts and 'what-ifs' which is what we'd have if we do this now." Liz slowly took off her ring and handed to him. She felt naked without it and she rubbed her finger thoughtfully. "I love you, and I'm doing this because it's not fair to you to wait while I figure out what I need."

Jeremy reached out and took the ring from her hand. "You can't leave me." Liz knew he meant it with every fiber of his being. She rode the waves of his emotions as the silence stretched between them. She could feel his sadness, confusion and jealousy. She knew anger wasn't far behind.

She was right. Suddenly, it filled her conscious and she knew that she was in trouble. "That's a coward's way out, Liz." He said coldly when she didn't say anything. "I've given up everything for you, and the second I ask something in return, you want out." He threw the ring against the wall; it skittered across the floor and ended up behind the toilet. "You can't back out now. We've gone too far."

Liz took a deep breath as she shook her head slightly, knowing what she had to do. "It's over Jeremy. I'm sorry." She stood and began to leave the bathroom.

Jeremy leapt to his feet behind her and grabbed her arm tightly. "Don't walk away from me." He said as she shook her. Cold fear spread throughout her body.

"Don't tell me what to do." She managed to say. Liz braced herself as she felt his intention and saw his fist come towards her. She landed with a painful thud and a whimper.

Seconds passed as the two stared at each other. "You deserved that, Bitch." Jeremy said as Liz saw her father open the door behind him.

It took Jeff Parker about two seconds to register what was going on. Liz was on the floor cradling her face and Jeremy stood above her with his fists clenched. "What the hell?" He growled as he strode into the room.

Liz let out a sigh of relief as Jeremy turned away from her to face her father. She'd never seen her father so angry in her life. She rose to her feet, her ears still ringing from Jeremy's assault and followed the two men into the living room. "Get out of my house." Jeff said fiercely as he and Jeremy faced each other.

Jeremy looked back at Liz. "This isn't over." He said softly.

"Yes it is," Liz whispered.

Jeremy took one step towards Liz, but was stopped by her father. He took one last look at her before he turned and stormed out of the house. Liz avoided her father's gaze as she headed to the front door. She heard Kyle greeting Jeremy as he stormed past. A moment later he stood in front of the open door. "Hi Liz..." Kyle trailed off as he saw the welt on her face. "What happened?" He demanded as he cradled her face in his hands.

"Nothing," she mumbled, embarrassed. She felt her father's strong hand on her shoulder.

"Let me see, honey," he asked softly.

Liz shook him off. "I'm fine, Dad."

A sudden realization dawned on Kyle's face. "Jeremy?" he asked tensely.

Jeff nodded, and Liz simply looked at the carpet. Her plan had worked but she still felt ashamed and confused.

Kyle lifted her chin gently. "Look at me Liz… I'm gonna kill that bastard." He muttered under his breath as he examined Liz's faced for a moment. It was already becoming discolored.

"It's okay Kyle."

"No it's not Liz! He hit you!" Kyle yelled as he began to pace the room while keeping a concerned eye on Liz. "What happened?" he finally asked.

Liz sank to the couch and closed her eyes, shaking her head. There were simply no words to describe her feelings. She was still connected loosely with Jeremy, hoping that she could monitor his thoughts and warn the others if needed. She felt a bag of ice being gently laid on her cheek a few moments later. She opened her eyes to see Kyle gently holding it to her face.

"Please don't tell me you're still connected with him," he whispered after a moment.

"I need to know he's not gonna hurt Max," she whispered in reply. She looked around the room and noticed her father was gone. "Where's Dad?"

"I told him to give us a few minutes," Kyle replied.

Liz nodded and leaned back, letting all her attention flow into the connection. She had to be sure that this would work…

**A/N: How much do you hate me? I'll try to get the next chapter typed and edited in the not too distant future. Whoever said summers were lazy lied! I'm busier now than I am during the semester!!!**


	32. Chapter 32: Tenacious

**A/N: Hey all! Thanks for all the reveiws last chapter. I'm glad to hear that my solution to the engagement was something most people agreed with. (Magali: Yeah they could have just killed him, but then my story would be over cause I'm not good at writing fluffy stuff. Thanks for your honest opinion though!) **

**I know this chapter might confuse some of you... I promise if you stick around for the next chapter some of those questions will be answered. If they aren't, you can yell at me then, and I'll try to rectify it, as not many people can decode what I'm thinking. (Haven't decided if that's a good or bad thing yet.)**

**Thanks A, you know who you are, for all your opinions and feedback, seriously, it's making the story better, though you won't find many changes in this chapter. Winks**

**Now go read and enjoy!**

**Chapter 32**

Liz stood in the almost empty apartment in Davis, California. Most of the boxes were gone. She knew that Jeremy already had most of his stuff and hers shipped to Washington. She didn't really care. She was just happy to be done with him. "I love what you've done with the place," Kyle joked as he began reading the labels on the boxes.

She smiled faintly. "I like the minimalist approach." She closed her eyes as she felt the attack begin. It'd been almost five days since she'd talked to anyone but Kyle and she could feel Isabel's panic as she tried to connect with her. She stubbornly blocked the connection and turned her attention back to Kyle.

Kyle had learned to recognize when Liz was blocking a connection. He hadn't left Liz's side since Jeremy had stormed out of her parent's home. The huge bruise that had disfigured her face was finally fading to green. He studied her for a moment. "Are you ever going to let them in?" He asked as he folded his arms over his chest. "You know, they just want to make sure you're safe."

Liz bit her lip. "I know, I just can't handle telling them yet," she said nervously as she began headed into her bedroom. A moment later, she added "I'll tell them when I get home, I promise."

Kyle followed her into the bedroom. "So where do you want to start?"

Liz set down her purse and surveyed the boxes littering the room. "I guess we should go ahead and move these into the living room so that we can see exactly what we've got." She picked up a big box and headed into the living room. As she reached the door, her cell phone rang loudly.

"Uh, Liz, your purse is ringing," Kyle called.

"Can you pick it up? It's probably my mom."

Kyle picked up the small, black leather purse and stuck his hand inside. As he pulled out the phone, a tampon fell on the floor. Kyle looked at in disgust for a moment before he answered the call. "Hello?" There was no answer. "Hello?" he asked again.

Kyle heard someone on the other end of the line clear their throat. "Kyle," a man's voice inquired. "What are you doing with Liz's phone?"

"Um, hi Max," Kyle said brightly as he headed into the living room where Liz stood shaking her head mouthing the word no.

* * *

Max was worried. He'd seen Jeremy packing the Jeep under the watchful eye of Jeff Parker when he was getting off work almost a week ago. He hadn't seen or talked to Liz since that afternoon in the park. Both Isabel and Michael had tried to connect with her repeatedly, but Liz was blocking them. He and Maria were alternately leaving messages on Liz's cell phone, but she wasn't returning their calls. It was entirely out of character. Max couldn't decide what worried him more, that Liz was avoiding all of them, or the fact that Kyle had disappeared. Were the two related, he wondered as he fingered the cordless phone. He was going to try to call Liz again.

On the fourth ring, he heard a man's voice answer. It took him a moment to realize that the voice belonged to Kyle, who was obviously uncomfortable. "Kyle, is Liz with you?" He asked when it was apparent Kyle wasn't going to answer his first question.

Kyle cleared his throat. "Yes. Listen Max, she's okay, but I really need to go. I swear Liz will talk to you when we get back."

"Back?" Max questioned. "Where are you guys? Why won't Liz…." He heard a loud click as the call was disconnected. He held his ear to the phone for another moment before he turned off his end. Max sat for a moment on his bed staring at an old snapshot of Liz that was framed on his bedside table. It was a shot that Amy had taken of them at the prom. He could feel the edge of her subconscious just by thinking of her. He exhaled heavily. He shouldn't be doing this….

* * *

Liz heaved a sigh of relief when Kyle hung up the phone. He handed it to her, but said nothing. She tucked some hair behind her ear as she looked up. "How did he sound?"

Kyle shrugged as he swiped his hand over his face, "confused and worried."

Liz smiled softly. She could feel Max reaching for her gently. She'd been able to feel his subconscious for weeks now, and knew he often would reach out just enough to feel hers but he would never connect with her. He'd been doing it almost nonstop for the past few days. It comforted her somehow. Part of her wanted to reach back, but she wouldn't allow herself to do it.

She knew how Max felt about forming connections, and she didn't want to do anything that would violate his wishes. She also wasn't sure if she was ready for Max to know everything just yet, and she knew it was impossible to hide anything from him once they were connected. Her bruise had almost healed but her feelings were still raw. She'd be transparent to him… After a few moments of introspection she shook her head. "So after we finish sorting this stuff, I thought I'd turn you loose to look for a commune," Liz joked as she headed back to the bedroom to grab another box.

Kyle chuckled, "only if you come with," he said as he followed her.

Liz made a face as she picked up the next box. "No way, sorry Kyle."

"Remind me why I'm here again?" Kyle asked as he grabbed two boxes headed back into the living room with them.

Liz looked wryly at him. "You volunteered, remember?"

He deposited the boxes on the kitchen counter. "I think I need a beer."

"There's a restaurant just down the street. We can go."

"Excellent," Kyle declared as he headed for the door. He turned around a second later, "are you coming?"

Once they were both seated at the restaurant Kyle studied Liz. She had been frowning perpetually since Max called. "Do you want to talk about it?"

Liz looked up startled. "Talk about what?"

Kyle shrugged, "Jeremy, Max, moving back to Roswell, freaky powers, take your pick." He took a long swig of his beer. "You've been busy."

Liz shook her head slightly. "I'm worried about him," she finally said.

"Who, Max?" Liz nodded. "Liz, he's a big boy, he can take care of himself. You need to worry about you right now."

"That's easy to say, but I'm not the one in danger."

Kyle rolled his eyes, "I didn't see Jeremy hitting Max," he replied sullenly.

"I know, I know. I just need to protect him."

"And I bet he feels the same about you."

Liz felt herself relax for the first time in weeks. "I know he does." A smile played at the corner of her mouth as she remembered Max's unspoken thoughts when he'd connected with Michael. She knew how he felt about her. Suddenly, she heard Michael's thoughts.

_Where the hell are you, Liz? _He demanded with more relief than anger.

Now Liz remembered why she hadn't let herself relax. She groaned in frustration. _You know this would be called an invasion of privacy,_ she retorted.

_I wouldn't have needed to if you hadn't shut us out. _Liz thought she detected a level of hurt feelings.

_I didn't shut you out, I just needed some space,_ she justified. _If there was a problem I'd have let you guys know._ Liz shut her eyes painfully.

Michael was trying to probe her mind for answers as to what was going on. She saw the images he was sending of Kyle, Jeremy, her father, Isabel, Maria and several of Max. She realized responding to those images would tell him more than she wanted him to know. She tried to take calm deep breaths and keep her mind blank, but the last image of Max, sitting in his room looking disconsolate went straight to her heart. "Max," she barely whispered.

She felt Kyle's strong hand taking hers and opened her eyes. "Michael," she explained as she fought to contain her emotions enough to break the connection. She understood suddenly what Max meant about the dangers of connecting. Once Michael had found his way in, it seemed he was going to be difficult to evict. _I'm fine, Michael, and you know that was really, really low of you, _she allowed a little of her anger to show.

_Same goes for you._

Liz took a deep breath. _If I tell you where I am, and when I'll be back, would you and Isabel please leave me alone?_

_Where are you?_ He inquired again, not answering her question.

_I'm in Davis, packing up the apartment. I'll probably be back on Friday._

_And Jeremy? _Michael queried.

_It's over. _Liz was working slowly to stop the connection.

_What do you mean by over? _

_It's over. I'm not marrying him._

_Where is he? _Liz could tell Michael was worried. _That wasn't part of the plan…_ She felt him add.

_He's at Eagle Rock finishing his assignment. He'll leave for Washington in a week and a half. _Liz struggled to make her thoughts as clinical as possible. She didn't want Michael knowing any more than the bare facts.

_What aren't you saying?_ _This wasn't part of the plan. What happened_? He demanded.

Liz took a deep breath and managed to force him out before she was compelled to answer; she looked up at Kyle. "I think they'll leave me alone for a while," she said weakly.

"How'd he get in?" Kyle looked intrigued.

"I wasn't paying attention and my block slipped."

"And he just barged in?"

"Pretty much," Liz took a sip of her soda. "Michael's just…

," she added when she saw the look of horror on Kyle's face.

"Tenacious," Kyle grunted, "I can think of a few other words…"


	33. Chapter 33: Alien Makeover

**A/N: Hopefully despite my month long absence, there are still those of you who want to read the story... Since it's been so long, here's a quick recap of the last few chapters:**

**_The pod squad discovers that Jeremy is spying on them, and Liz comes up with a plan of action. Sadly, it appears the plan is to stay with Jeremy and get rid of Max. When Liz and Jeremy arrive home, Liz finally tells him that she's breaking the engagement. Jeremy doesn't take the news too well and hits her before her father can intervene. _**

**_Liz takes Kyle with her to Davis to finish packing up the last of things in the apartment and get some breathing space. Michael, Isabel, Max and Maria are concerned because they can't contact her. Finally, Michael forcibly connects with her and cons her into telling him that she broke up with Jeremy and that she would be home soon before she cuts the connection..._** What's next? We'll see...

**I know a month is a long time to wait for an update, so thanks to all you loyal readers. This chapter's for you! (I think 11 pages and some M/L goodness should make it up to you, what do you think?)**

**Just a warning, the next possible chance for me to post will be the middle-end of August, so be patient, I swear the story has not been abandoned! It's still very much alive!**

**Enjoy, and reveiw. I think pretty much everyone who has ever written something on here knows how much authors enjoy reading what others think of our writing!**

**Chapter 33**

Liz had told her parents they would arrive late on Friday. She wasn't surprised when she and Kyle arrived at midnight to find her mom and dad curled up on the couch, fast asleep. They unloaded the boxes and deposited most of them in the break room at the Crashdown. She didn't want to wake her parents by bringing them all upstairs. After Kyle left, Liz roused her mom and dad, letting them know that she was home. They each gave her a hug and headed off to their bedroom while Liz headed to her own room. Even though it was late, she couldn't sleep.

Liz headed out onto her balcony and sat on her lounge chair. It was a cool night and she inhaled the cool dry air with a relish. Max's subconscious had been barely touching hers all day, and she finally gave into the impulse to reach out to him. Carefully, she nudged him enough for him to know she was there, but not enough to form a true connection. She lay in her chair feeling the comfort of Max's nearness. His feeling of relief permeated the link, and she couldn't help but send out a message of comfort to him. He seemed to respond and she basked in the feeling. It felt like coming home. She continued the link until she eventually fell asleep, sinfully encased in the feelings aroused by Max's very essence.

_She's running and running but her legs feel like lead. Keep running, the voice chants in her head. Don't stop and don't look back. And whatever you do, don't cry. Don't feel the pain, the hurt, the loneliness, that is stabbing through your heart like a knife._

_JUST KEEP GOING!_

_Keep moving forward. And don't think about the man with the deep amber eyes. Eyes you got completely lost in. And whatever you do, don't think about his warm embrace. Those arms that used to wrap around you that made you feel so safe, so loved. _

_She turned to run and saw Jeremy standing in front of her. His hands were balled into fists and his face contorted in anger. He took a step towards her. She cowered and turned away from him to see Max walking past her towards Jeremy, she tried to stop him when she heard Jeremy threaten to kill him, but it seemed to do no good. "Nooooo!" she cried as Jeremy raised a gun at Max and fired._

"No!" Liz yelled as her eyes flew open. The stars shone brightly overhead as she mentally reached out for Max, seeking reassurance that it was indeed just a nightmare.

* * *

Max had barely fallen asleep when the dream started. He hated this dream. He'd dreamt it so many times he knew exactly what would happen next; except this time, it took a bizarre twist halfway through. Suddenly, Jeremy was standing beside Liz looking like he was about to hit her. He had to stop it! He rushed forward, barely noticing the gun Jeremy held aimed at him as Liz screamed. He woke suddenly to the familiar pressure of someone trying to connect with him. Still caught up in his nightmare he blocked them, until he recognized who it was. _Liz, what's wrong?_ He demanded the instant he opened the connection and felt her urgency.

_Max? I'm so sorry!_ Liz cried as her emotions flooded the connection. Fear, pain, love, Max could feel them all.

_It's okay Liz. I'm okay, _he added. They were so tightly connected that Max could feel Liz's body shaking. It eroded his last resolve and he leapt out of bed and threw on a pair of cargo pants over his boxers and added a shirt as he headed out the window. _I'm coming Liz, _he told her as he ran down the deserted streets.

Liz tried to protest, but even what she managed to form into coherent thought was contradicted by her emotions which skyrocketed with relief at the idea that he was coming. She knew the maelstrom of feelings that encompassed them both would make any protest useless anyways. Liz wrapped her arms around herself. She tried to breathe deeply to calm herself before Max arrived. She didn't want to appear completely helpless…

Max launched himself up the fire escape and onto Liz's balcony ten minutes later. He was breathing hard, and he could feel a cool layer of sweat on his skin. It didn't matter. Liz sat unseeing on her lounge chair, shivering. "Liz," he murmured as he went down on his knees in front of her. "It's okay, it was just a dream."

She looked up at him. "How did you know..." she didn't finish the sentence. She didn't need to; Max's look said it all. He knew what she'd dreamed because he'd dreamed the same thing. She pressed her lips together to keep from crying, but she could still feel the tears fill her eyes and pour down her face. "He wants to kill you," she whispered as Max gathered her to his chest.

"Shhh," Max murmured into Liz's hair, "it'll be okay."

Liz reached around him and pulled him tightly to her. She could feel the flash transfer itself to Max, and she was powerless to stop it. He stiffened underneath her embrace and she could feel his anger rising.

"He hit you?" Max pulled away to look at Liz's face. She nodded; knowing that there was no deniability with him.

He gently placed his hands over her face. "Why didn't you tell me?"

"I didn't know what to say."

Max placed a light kiss on her forehead before he held her tightly to him_. I was worried,_ he told her silently.

_I know_, she replied_. I'm sorry._

Max held her for another moment until he realized Liz was still shivering. _You need to get inside, it's cold. _

Liz chuckled at his protectiveness. _I'm fine, Max. I just…_

_No, you're shivering, I can feel it._ He looked into her eyes, _let's just get you warmed up,_ he added as he took her hand and led her back through the window.

Once inside, Max shut the window. He could see the goose bumps on Liz's skin. She rubbed her bare arms slowly. Max swallowed His brain finally kicked in, and he remembered the last time he'd seen her. It was a painful memory, and he suddenly felt awkward, knowing that they needed to discuss what happened. He knew Liz had read his thoughts when he heard her say, _I'm sorry about that, Max. I didn't want to do it, but I had to._

_Why?_

_Jeremy asked me to stop seeing you and I thought the best way to keep you safe is if he thought that breaking up with him had nothing to do with you._

_Was this before or after he hit you? _Max could feel his anger flow through the connection and saw Liz flinch. He tried to rein in his emotions as he made his face as stoic as possible.

_Before, _she answered. _It wasn't until after I provoked him…_

_I don't care what you did, he didn't have the right. _

Liz frowned. There was no emotion connected with his thoughts. She knew he was holding himself back for her sake. _Max, it was the only way I could get everyone to accept me breaking off the engagement. I'm fine, really._

_Don't lie to me Liz. You're not fine. That dream was more than just a dream wasn't it? What did he do to you?_ _How do you know what he's planning to do? _Liz's thoughts were completely neutral, but Max knew._ You've been connecting with him, haven't you?_

Liz nodded as she sat heavily on her bed. _I had to make sure._

_What did you find out?_

Liz felt the dizzying sensation of fear as she answered. _He thinks if you're dead, I'll come back to him._

Max sucked in a breath as he sat beside the love of his life. "Liz," he sighed as he gently wrapped an arm around her shoulders. Liz turned and looked directly into his eyes. He could still see a slight shadow where Jeremy had hit her. He caressed it softly with his thumb. "I'm so sorry."

_Don't be,_ she told him as a tear slowly dropped over her lashes. _It's my fault._

_No Liz. It's his and its mine. I should have never let it get this far._

She took a halting breath as she leaned into him. _What are we going to do?_

Max felt her shiver again as he supported her. _Nothing tonight, you're going to get some sleep and we'll figure out what to do tomorrow. _He caressed her long silky hair for a moment before he disentangled himself and stood. He pulled back the covers of her bed and motioned for her to get in. She scooted under the covers and held her hand out to him.

_Don't leave me,_ she pleaded.

Max nodded and pulled off his shoes before sliding in next to her_. It'll be okay. I promise;_ he reassured her as she cuddled close to him. She laid her head on his chest and nodded slowly. When Max was sure she was finally asleep, he turned off the light and lay wide awake on his back, relishing the sound of her soft breathing and the feel of her hair underneath his chin, all the while his mind churned with the thoughts and feelings stirred by their connection.

* * *

Liz awoke the next morning cradled in Max's arms. Her feet were tangled in his and her head rested on his arm. She could hear the soft thumping of his heart and feel his warm breath in her hair. She stirred, trying to get a look at his face. He reflexively pulled her closer, but continued to sleep. Liz smiled to herself as she shifted, pressing her back into his chest, trying to get as close to him as she could. His arms wound more tightly around her as she felt his lips brush the top of her head. _Good Morning, _she felt him say.

_Good morning._ Liz wrapped her arms around his and brushed her lips against his hand. She turned to face him. Her breath caught in her throat as she saw the liquid emotion in his eyes; they flicked quickly to her lips and then returned to meet her gaze. Inadvertently, her eyes did the same. They smiled quietly at each other for a moment before Max softly brought his lips to hers. Liz felt the sizzling jolt of energy course through her body at the light contact. _It's exactly like I remember…_ she told him.

He grinned as he pulled away. _I disagree. Its better,_ he replied as she leaned forward to kiss him again.

Liz sighed as she lay back on her pillow. Max rolled onto his side and propped his head on his hand. After a few heartbeats, Liz addressed what was on both of their minds. _We need to talk._

Max nodded. _What happened?_

Before Liz could respond she felt someone trying to enter her conscious. She quickly tried to put up her defenses, but the connection that she held with Max was so strong that it was difficult to completely shut her mind to the assault. She felt Max's anger at the intrusion and she quickly worked to calm him. She knew Michael would break through her block pretty quickly.

She was right.

_We have a problem,_ he stated without preamble.

Liz ran an agitated hand through her hair. _When do you NOT have a problem…? Please tell me it's not about Maria…_ She joked, hoping the levity would ease the brooding look on Max's face, and get Michael to lighten up. She didn't like the anxious feelings Michael was exuding.

_Max is missing. Isabel swore she heard something last night, and this morning Max's room was a mess, and we can't find him. I think your boyfriend's involved._

Liz heaved a sigh as she sat up in bed. Max had pulled himself back enough that Liz couldn't feel what he was thinking, but she saw a mixture of annoyance and amusement in his face and she knew he was listening in. _What do you mean you can't find him?_

_Isabel tried connecting with him when we realized he didn't have his cell phone._

Liz saw Max's eyes darken. _He's not gonna like that, Michael,_ she scolded.

_It doesn't matter, she couldn't get IN!_ Michael's frustration and fear were evident. Liz wondered slightly if he realized how much emotion he was displaying to her.

_Michael, I'll be there in a half an hour. Please don't do anything until I get there. _She felt badly for him, knowing that Max was fine, but she carefully hid that knowledge from him. She didn't want anyone knowing that Max had just spent the night in her bed.

_Just get over here,_ he demanded.

Liz could almost see Michael's face twisted in annoyance. _I will, as soon as you let go, so I can take a shower in peace._ She shot back. As soon as the thought was out, she wished she hadn't thought it. She shot an embarrassed look at Max as she swung her legs over the bed. _I'm sure he's fine Michael_, she reassured him_. I'll be over soon._ She felt him begin to disconnect, and she did the same.

The second he was gone, she felt Max's conscious return in full force. _Your bodyguard is looking for you,_ she teased.

_So I heard. I hope he doesn't do this often._ Max's attempt at levity failed miserably. Liz didn't need to be connected with him to know how he felt about Michael's intrusion. His face was creased in annoyance.

_Occasionally,_ Liz answered. _Usually_ _I just block him, but I'm not used to blocking while being connected with someone else. I was afraid I'd block you too… Guess you'll have to teach me that trick. _She added, remembering that Isabel had failed to connect with her brother. Max pulled himself out of bed and shrugged noncomitantly. Liz stood beside him. _You should go, they sounded worried._

Max grimaced but started heading towards the window. _I guess I'll see you soon?_

Liz nodded. _I'll call Maria and Kyle and have them meet us there. I guess I can bring everyone up to speed at the same time._ She sent out a feeling of disappointment that she wasn't able to share the story with just Max. Her mind spun with thoughts of how to explain everything that happened. She also was wondering if she should connect with Jeremy again…

_Liz,_ Max warned.

Liz looked up. Having Max a part of her thoughts was so natural, she forgot to hide what she was thinking for a moment_. It has to be done Max._

_Not by you._

_Max this is something I have to do…_ Liz felt his objection but continued, willing him to listen. _I know you think it's dangerous and you want to protect me, but Max I can do this. I need to do this. _She wanted to show him everything she felt just then, but she held back, wanting to protect him.

_No secrets Liz._ Max's thoughts didn't waver. _You can tell me anything._

_I know Max, but right now you need to get home. There's not enough time. _Liz surveyed his wrinkled clothing as he reluctantly resumed his journey to her window. She followed him out.

Max exhaled heavily. He turned to Liz and gently rested his hand on her face. There was a soft glow, and the last vestige of Liz's bruise disappeared under his touch. Max's thoughts were veiled from her for a moment, but she knew what he was thinking. She covered his hand with hers. "Thank you," she whispered.

He let his hand drop from her face. Liz held it for a moment more before she said, "you need to go." She looked at their intertwined hands_. I don't want to get there before you do, _she added mentally.

Max grinned, _that would be interesting._

_Max! _Liz exclaimed. _Its bad enough Michael almost found you connected with me; the last thing I need is for him to figure out that you were sleeping here last night!_

"Kidding," he murmured as he noticed Liz's eyes again surveying his body and taking in his disheveled appearance. _I guess I'm gonna have to do something about the way I look?_ She nodded. He waved his hand, and the wrinkles in his clothes were gone and the slight stubble on his face disappeared. _Isabel isn't the only one who can do makeovers…_he said as Liz's wonder at his sudden transformation floated across the connection.

"You missed a spot though," she chuckled as rose on her tip toes to straighten his messy hair.

_I left it that way for you._

Liz gasped realizing just how well he really knew her. She raised her eyebrows_. I think we better end this here. Bye Max. _She added in the sexiest tone she could muster as she reluctantly ended their connection. The two of them stood disoriented for a minute. A feeling of loneliness shrouded them as they stood silently.

Finally, Max spoke. "Bye Liz." He swung himself over the balcony and onto the fire escape. He sent her one more meaningful glance before he quickly scrambled down and headed off to his house.

Liz sighed and climbed back through her window and into the shower. With Max headed home, she knew she would have more than the half an hour she'd promised Michael, and she planned to use it.

**Yay! They're together...kind of...**


	34. Chapter 34: Disturbing the Peace

**A/N: I'm back!!! Enjoy the next chapter!**

**Chapter 34**

Liz walked down the street towards Max's house. It was still early, but the sun was already scorching the pavement and she wished she'd taken Maria up on her offer for a ride. Liz had declined, hoping to buy herself some extra time to figure out what to say. She'd barely been able to explain to Max when they were connected. The idea of actually having to explain what happened out loud to the others was terrifying. She slowed her pace as she turned onto Max's street.

An engine revved behind her and she turned to see Jeremy's white Cherokee pulling up beside her. Liz's stomach gave a nervous jolt, and her conscious reached out for Max on its own volition. She felt him open the connection with her as Jeremy rolled down the window. "Liz," Jeremy commanded as Liz continued to walk, "Liz, look at me."

Liz took a deep breath and stared him down. Max's anger was bolstering her as she looked into Jeremy's green eyes. "Jeremy," she tried to keep her voice level. She pushed her long hair behind her. "I don't think we have anything to discuss. Please leave me alone."

"But, Babe…" Jeremy parked the car and yanked off his seat belt. Liz took several steps back as he opened the door.

"Jeremy, please…" Liz could hear her voice quiver.

* * *

Max had been sitting placidly in a chair listening to Michael ranting about his disappearance when he felt Liz try to connect with him. He immediately dropped his mental blocks and was practically blindsided by Liz's fear. She kept sending him the memory of him hitting her. Each time he saw it, he flinched and his anger rose a little higher, until he felt equal to killing Jeremy in the most painful way possible.

Even as angry as he was, he knew he couldn't be the one to interfere or Liz's sacrifice would be worthless. He turned to Michael who was standing near him, finally silent. It was obvious that Michael felt the connection. "Liz is in danger," Max explained. "She's just down the street. Help her."

It didn't take long for Michael to connect to Liz too. Knowing that Jeremy was there sent him racing out the door, followed closely by Kyle, who suspected that whatever danger Liz was in had to involve her ex-fiancé. As soon as they were out of the house they could see Jeremy and Liz barely a block away. He was gripping Liz's arm tightly as she squirmed.

Liz saw Michael and Kyle come flying out of the Evan's home as she heard Max reassure her. _Michael and Kyle are coming. It's okay Liz; I won't let him hurt you again._ She could feel his worry and anger mixing with her own. She wrenched her arm out of Jeremy's grip.

"You have to listen to me!" Jeremy reached for her arm again as Michael grabbed him and slammed him against the car.

"She doesn't have to listen to you." Michael's face was inches from Jeremy's as he held him with an arm across the other man's throat. "You lost all rights when your fist landed in her face. The only reason I haven't beat you to a pulp is because she's standing right here." His voice was murderous as he released his hold slightly. "But if you touch her one more time, I swear you'll wish you'd never been born."

_How did you know he hit me?_ Liz asked through the connection.

_You showed me,_ Michael looked at her out of the corner of his eye. _And I'll get back to Max already knowing later…_

Jeremy noticed that Michael was distracted and quickly slithered out of his grip and flipped him on to the sidewalk. "Are you threatening an FBI agent?" He smirked as Michael sprawled on the ground. "You know, that's a federal offence." Liz knelt next to Michael but he shook her off.

Kyle stepped in between Jeremy and Michael who had jumped back to his feet. "No, I'm saying we'll press charges on a private citizen who broke the law." Kyle's voice was calm, but Liz could see the anger smoldering in his eyes.

She stood quickly and gently laid a hand on his arm. "Kyle, it's not worth it." She looked directly at Jeremy. As she took a step forward, Michael inserted himself in between them again. He'd spent the last few seconds trying to connect with Jeremy, and he'd finally managed to create a weak link with him. He could read Jeremy's thoughts well enough to know that Liz needed to leave, now.

_Liz this isn't safe, you need to leave now. I'll take care of this, _he promised her.

_Michael, I'm not leaving. He isn't gonna stop until he understands…_

_He's never going to understand Liz, _Michael interrupted_. I know you don't believe it, but he's not. _

Liz looked over Michael's shoulder towards Jeremy. His green eyes were narrowed with anger. Liz swallowed uncomfortably. _Alright, I'll leave._

Michael relaxed slightly as he took her arm. "I suggest you leave Roswell soon," he said gruffly as he turned to face Jeremy. "None of us want this to get out of control."

With a final warning look, he ushered Liz down the street towards the Evan's house.

_Max,_ Michael called. _You can't be home. Sneak out and try to be seen. I think he might try to find you._

Liz looked up at Michael. _You're connected with him?_

Michael grimaced as he felt Liz trying to eavesdrop on the other connection. _Don't,_ he commanded. _You don't need to know what he's thinking._

Max joined in the protest. Liz could feel all his protective instincts directed towards her and she grudgingly acquiesced. She turned around to see Kyle following them. He would occasionally glance backward at Jeremy who was still standing beside the Cherokee, a dark frown on his face.

Once inside the house, Liz succumbed to her impulse to see what Jeremy was doing. She peered out of the sheer curtain in the living room and watched as the white Cherokee slowly drove past the house. Jeremy pulled a U turn past the next block and drove by again before speeding off in the direction of Main Street. Liz let out a slow breath as she turned around. Isabel, Michael and Kyle were watching her.

"What happened, Liz?" Michael asked out loud. Silently, he was asking a lot of other questions, but Liz ignored them.

She took a deep breath. "Can we wait until Max gets back? I don't want to have to say this twice…" She mentally told Max that she needed him with her.

_I'll be there soon,_ he responded a moment later.

Kyle stared at Michael and Liz. The two were standing silently but the looks on their faces plainly showed that they were embroiled in conversation. "Stupid alien voodoo…" He muttered as he collapsed on the couch. Isabel joined him a moment later.

They studied the pair intensely until Michael flinched and his gaze focused on them. His face was a comical mixture of disbelief and annoyance. He rubbed his forehead before he sat next to Isabel. "Did you get kicked out?" she asked lightly.

Michael simply grimaced and looked at Liz. "Max was feeling aggressive."

Liz smiled apologetically before she turned her attention back to the window. She saw Maria pull up to the curb a few moments later. She sighed heavily. "Guys, Maria is here."

A second later the bell rang. Kyle rose and went to the door when it became apparent that the two aliens had no intention of moving. "Might as well be the butler," he muttered as he opened the door.

"What?" Maria asked as she entered.

"Nothing, they're in the living room." Kyle shuffled in front of Maria and returned to his seat on the couch.

Maria surveyed the room. Michael sat next to Isabel rubbing his head as if he had a terrible headache. Liz was standing by the window with a familiar look on her face. Maria wondered briefly who she was connected with. Isabel smiled tightly at her and stood. "Hi Maria."

"Uh, I'm guessing you guys started without me?"

Kyle chuckled, "you could say that." He rubbed his face in agitation.

Maria waited for someone to explain, but everyone was silent. She looked around the room again. "Where's Max?"

* * *

Max had managed to sneak out the back undetected. He ran through several vacant lots in the direction of Main Street while he furiously tried to come up with a plan. After a few minutes, he slowed to a walk and casually strolled out onto the street. It was a typical Saturday morning in Roswell. Lots of tourists were crowding the streets carrying alien-related paraphernalia.

Prior to kicking Michael out of Liz's mind, he'd managed to get a basic idea of what Michael had seen from his connection with Jeremy. It made his blood run cold to think of anyone wanting to hurt Liz like that. It was time to end this. He had just made a decision and was heading towards the sheriff's station when he saw the familiar white Cherokee turn onto the street.

_Max, stay away from him, please!_ Liz practically cried.

Max wasn't sure what he should do. The whole reason he'd left the house was so that Jeremy wouldn't have a reason to believe Liz had been coming to see him. On the other hand, Max wasn't sure he'd be able to stop from killing Jeremy if he saw him. The decision was taken out of his hands when Jeremy turned the jeep towards him.

Max could feel Liz's fear flow through him. _Liz, I'm going to disconnect now. I don't want you to see this_, he explained gently as Jeremy pulled up beside him.

_No, Max. Don't shut me out, please!_

_I have to. I'll be okay, I swear,_ he promised_. I love you,_ he added as he mentally shoved Liz away as gently as he could.

Max looked wistfully at the sheriff's station several blocks away. He kept walking as Jeremy got out of the car. "Max."

Max slowed but didn't stop. Getting into a battle in public with an FBI agent was not something he intended to do if he could help it.

"Max!" Jeremy fell in step beside him. "What the hell was Liz doing at your house today?"

Max frowned, pretending not to know what Jeremy was talking about. "What do you mean?"

"Liz was on her way to your house just now, why?"

"Maybe she was meeting Iz about the wedding," Max shrugged. "I really haven't been following the details." Max shot him a knowing look as he tried to walk away.

"You know there's no wedding anymore." Jeremy's voice was quiet, but Max thought he sounded sad.

He looked up guardedly his eyes resting briefly on Jeremy's glock before asking, "why not?"

The look wasn't lost on Jeremy, who rested his hand on it threateningly. "My guess is _You_…"

Max raised his eyebrows. "Me?" He heard his voice crack slightly.

"Don't lie to me Max. You've been trying to seduce Liz since we got here."

Max didn't answer he just kept walking. The police station was only a block away. Suddenly, Jeremy threw him against the side of a building. "You knew she was engaged, and you still tried to make her leave me. Are you happy, you bastard? She left me, but no one gets away with making me look like a fool, do I make myself clear?"

Max shoved Jeremy away. "I don't know what you're talking about, but if Liz left you, then yes, I am glad. Anyone who acts like this doesn't deserve her." Max wasn't surprised when Jeremy's fist came flying towards his face. He ducked quickly. An instant later, he sent his fist into Jeremy's stomach. He shook his hand painfully as he turned to walk away, trying to force himself to regain control, a smile quirked on his lips as he heard Jeremy groan behind him. An instant later Max slammed into the sidewalk and he heard several people yell.

"Not such a hot shot now, are we Evans?" Jeremy growled from on top of him. Max could feel a cold steel cylinder pressed against his head and he knew Jeremy had pulled his gun. Out of his peripheral vision, he could see people scattering away from them. He hoped someone would get the sheriff before he was forced to use his powers. It would be so easy to simply touch Jeremy and kill him, but with so many witnesses, he'd never be able to show his face here again. Max wriggled his fingers as Jeremy handcuffed him. "It's all right people, I'm with the FBI."

At that moment, Max heard the siren, and saw several officers get out of the car with their guns drawn. "Put the gun on the ground, Mr. Highland," he heard Jim Valenti yell.

For an awful minute, Max wondered if Jeremy was going to just shoot him and damn the consequences… then he felt the pressure at the base of his skull lessen. Relieved, he began to focus on manipulating the handcuffs. He felt them click open and he quickly rolled over, sending Jeremy toppling. A shot fired as Max wrestled the gun from his hand. A moment later, several deputies surrounded them. One grabbed the gun out of Max's hand while the others quickly handcuffed Jeremy. "Got a call about you disturbing the peace," Sheriff Valenti said as he stood next to Max. "I'm gonna have to take you both in until this is sorted out." Max nodded slowly as he noticed the look of apology in the older man's eyes when he turned Max around to cuff him.

* * *

Liz cried out into the silent room when the connection was severed. She turned to see her friends looking at her with concern. "Jeremy found him," she explained. "Kyle, you need to call your dad, now."

Isabel jumped up and disappeared into the other room. She returned with a cordless phone and handed it to Kyle. Kyle punched in the number quickly and waited impatiently for someone to pick up. "Roswell Sheriff's department, Deputy Dawson speaking," a slow, monotonous voice answered.

"I need to talk to Sheriff Valenti," Kyle ordered.

"I'm sorry son, but he's in a meeting, can I take a message?"

"This is Kyle Valenti calling. It's an emergency, he'll take the call."

"What kind of emergency?" the voice drawled. "Maybe I can help?"

Kyle grunted in frustration. "Just get my dad on the line, Deputy." There was a pause and a moment later he heard the phone click… for a moment he thought he'd been disconnected until he heard his dad's voice.

"Kyle? What's wrong?"

"It's Max. Jeremy's after him and it isn't good…"

Jim sighed heavily. "I knew this was coming," he muttered. "Where are they?"

Kyle held the receiver away from his mouth. "Liz? Where is he?"

"He was on his way to the station. About two blocks away." Liz's voice quivered. She'd tried to reconnect with Max, but he was blocking her. "Please hurry," she whispered.

"Dad he's near the station somewhere." Kyle could hear some kind of commotion on the other end.

"A gun?" Jim's voice was muffled. "Yeah Kyle, I think I know where he is. I've gotta go." The phone line went dead.

Kyle pushed the off button. "Dad's on it."

The five of them looked at each other, unsure of what to do. Finally Maria stood next to her friend and hugged her tightly. "He'll be fine," she stated, though in truth she wasn't sure…


	35. Chapter 35:The Police Blotter

A/N: Computer problems kept me from updating. My appologies. Enjoy the next chapter!

**Chapter 35**

Max sat next to the desk with his hands cuffed in front of him. He'd been sitting in the station for the past forty-five minutes. He was starting to worry when Jim finally came out of what Max presumed was the interrogation room. "Mr. Evans," he said as he helped him up from the chair, "follow me."

Max followed Jim back to his personal office. Once the door was shut, he took out his keys. "Thanks for putting up with these…" He unlocked the handcuffs and tossed them on the desk. "Care to fill me in?" Jim sat at the end of the desk and looked seriously at Max.

Max rubbed his wrists. "Liz called off the wedding, and Jeremy thinks it's my fault."

"Is it your fault?"

"No. I didn't even know she'd broken it off until last night." Max paused as he felt Liz trying to connect with him. "Do I get a phone call? Everyone is worried."

Jim slid the phone towards him. "Sure."

Max's gaze flicked to the older man's face. He picked up the phone. He started dialing, but a thought occurred to him and he set the receiver back down before the call was completed. "Out of curiosity, am I going to need someone to bail me out?"

Valenti shook his head and grimaced, "officially? Yes. With Jeremy being part of the FBI, there can't be any red flags."

Max nodded, remembering all the times that Jim had bent the rules for him. It'd cost him his job, and it had taken a lot for him to get it back. "I understand. I'll have Isabel come down." Max picked up the phone again and dialed.

* * *

Isabel pulled into the Sheriffs station. She took a moment to survey her windblown hair in the rearview mirror. She smoothed it and added some more red lipstick before she got out of the car and strode into the building. She smiled slightly when several younger deputies stopped what they were doing to look at her. Finally, one of the braver ones came up to her. "Can I help you, Ma'am?"

Isabel frowned. Ma'am is what people called her mother. "I want to see my brother, Max Evans," she said in her most commanding tone.

The poor guy was about her age and looked like he was going to pass out. She chuckled inwardly. "Uh, he's with the sheriff right now. Can you wait?"

Isabel flipped her hair behind her. "Does it look like I want to wait? I'm bailing him out. He's supposed to be waiting for me." She raised her eyebrows suggestively.

The deputy swallowed and she could see his Adam's apple bounce up and over his collar. She smiled and softened her voice. "Just let them know I'm here?"

He tipped his hat at her as he quickly walked back to the sheriff's office. He glanced over his shoulder before he knocked. She waved slightly and nodded in encouragement. A moment later the door opened and Jim looked over the deputy's shoulder and saw Isabel. He sent the deputy away and he motioned for Isabel to join him. "Miss Evans thanks for coming down. I have the paperwork you need to fill out, won't you come in?" He ushered her through the door and shut it firmly.

Max sat comfortably in a chair. He smiled ruefully at his sister. "I hope you didn't tell mom…"

A smile crept onto her face, but she banished it quickly. "I didn't think our poor human parents could handle you getting arrested because you got into a fight with an FBI agent…" She sat down. "What happens now?" She directed the question to Jim.

"Well, Jeremy admits that Max was not part of any FBI investigation, or a suspect, so he had no legal bearing to draw his gun. His office has already come down and claimed him, and I'm sure he's getting an earful. Because Max threw the first punch, and there are eyewitnesses, I had to charge him with something though… so…." Jim pulled out a piece of paper and handed it to Isabel.

"Disturbing the Peace?" Isabel looked as a chuckle escaped. "Max Evans, disturbing the peace… Mom's gonna love seeing this in the police blotter!"

Max ignored her jest, "Iz, can we just get out of here? We all need to talk."

Isabel's face turned serious. "Why shouldn't I leave you here overnight to think about what you've done?" Her brother rolled his eyes. "Okay," Isabel shook her head. "Your sense of humor sucks today…" She fished into her purse and pulled out a checkbook. "How much is bail?"

Jim cleared his throat. "Generally it's five hundred dollars for…"

Isabel's eyes widened, "five hundred dollars?"

Jim nodded as he indicated to the bottom of the paper that Isabel was still holding. "You so owe me for this Max," she muttered as she wrote out the check.

As they stood to leave, Max shook the older man's hand. "Thanks again sheriff. I never thought I'd be so happy to be arrested." A half smile appeared on his face. "Kyle will let you know what we decide to do," he added as Isabel opened the door and headed out.

Max noticed at least half of the eyes in the room jerked up and followed her as she headed outside. He looked warily at Jim who stood by the door and then followed his sister out.

"Do you really have to walk like that?" Max asked when they were both seated in the car, with Isabel driving.

"Like what?" Isabel asked lightly as she revved the engine and pulled out of the parking lot.

"I don't know," Max cleared his throat, "like you were. Half the guys in the station were undressing you with their eyes…"

Isabel grinned mischievously, "I know." She cranked the radio and left Max to his thoughts on the way to their house.

After a minute, Max turned down the volume. "Is Liz still at the house?"

Isabel nodded and pulled a strand of hair from her eyes, "yeah."

"We need to meet somewhere else. We don't know where Jeremy is. He could be staking out the house for all we know. Let's head out on 49."

"Highway 49?" Isabel frowned, "Max you aren't suggesting…"

"Yeah I am. It's not safe here…"

Isabel sighed. "I'll tell Michael."


	36. Chapter 36: No Blasting Allowed

**A/N: No, I haven't fallen off the face of the planet. Just having a hard time ending the story, hense the slow updates. Enjoy, and Reveiw! **

**Chapter 36**

Michael pressed more firmly on the accelerator. He hadn't been back to the pod chamber since they'd returned to earth and he didn't like any reason he was coming up with for Max wanting to meet there. He looked in the rearview mirror at Liz. Kyle was sitting next to her, his hand covering hers. Liz hadn't said much after she had declared Max was in trouble. Michael had wanted to talk with her, but she was avoiding his gaze. She was also blocking him forcibly from her mind.

"Isabel said Max is fine," Michael announced when he couldn't stand the silence anymore. Liz met his eyes in the rearview mirror and nodded. Michael held her eyes for a moment before turning his attention back to the road. "Were you planning on telling us about Jeremy?" Michael didn't realize he'd spoken aloud until he heard Maria ask what he was talking about.

Liz cleared her throat and looked at Kyle. He raised an eyebrow but said nothing. "Yes Michael, I was going to tell you that the wedding was off."

"That's not what I meant."

"Yes," She whispered softly. "I was going to explain that too…"

Maria spun around in her seat and looked at her best friend. "Explain what?"

Liz smiled weakly, and Kyle squeezed her hand reassuringly. "Can we wait until Max and Isabel are here too?"

Maria nodded as she turned her attention back to the road. "We're only a couple of miles away," she said as they passed another mile marker. A heavy silence filled the car as they continued to speed down the road.

Liz practically leapt out of the car as Michael killed the engine. She hiked halfway up the rocks, hoping that no one would follow her. She didn't want to answer all the questions and endure Maria's concerned glances, or Michael's enquiring ones. She sat down near the edge and pulled her knees to her chest, resting her chin on top of them. The sun beat on her back as she closed her eyes. Max was still blocking her, so this time she tried to simply nudge his mind, hoping that he would be more receptive if she wasn't trying to form a connection. She felt the block relax a little, and let out a relieved sigh. That was all she needed to know, that he was still with her…

A few moments later, she saw a huge dust cloud trailing the speeding Mustang that was headed towards them. Obviously, Isabel was driving. She stayed on her perch, even after the pair got out of their car and stood talking to Michael, Maria and Kyle.

She was exhausted. She hated feeling scared, and for almost two weeks she'd been fighting the fear that was bubbling up inside her. She was losing the fight and it was destroying her. She wasn't sure if she could face it again. She knew she'd break. Telling everyone what happened seemed impossible in her present state.

Liz was so lost in her thoughts she didn't realize that Max had climbed up behind her until the hair on her neck started to stand on end. She turned her head and looked at him as he sat next to her. "Hey," he said softly.

She tilted her chin in acknowledgement but remained silent. Out of the corner of her eyes, she could see him watching at her. She felt like she was a lightning rod when he was near, with jolts of electricity flowing from one end of her body to the other. She tightened her hold on her legs and firmly planted her chin on her knees. She had to get some control, or she'd never survive this. She took several deep breaths as she looked at the desert landscape

"_Nooooo!" _The scream that haunted her nightmares echoed through her mind. Her stomach lurched and she jumped as she felt Max's warm hand on her shoulder.

"Are you okay?" his face was concerned.

She looked into his eyes and felt tears automatically fill her own. "I don't know," she whispered honestly. Her thoughts whirled in her head, as she tried to find the words to explain.

Max sighed and looked over the desert landscape. "Do you dream about when we left often?" He asked after a few moments of silence.

Liz jerked her head up and looked at him. She nodded slowly. "Do you?" she asked, fearing that she already knew the answer, that every dream she'd had, so had he.

Max swallowed. "Yeah, I'd have this dream, like the one last night, except it ended differently."

Liz dug her heel into the ground as she looked back over the landscape. She knew where Max was going with the conversation. "Max, I really, really can't do this."

"I know," he added quickly. "We just need to figure out what to do." He gently brushed a section of Liz's long, silky, hair behind her back so that he could see her profile.

"We have to know what happened with Jeremy," she said softly.

"I'm not letting you connect with him," Max said forcefully, knowing what she was implying.

Liz raised her head and looked directly into his eye. "What makes you think you can stop me?" she hissed.

Max's eyes widened at her tone. "Liz…"he began.

She cut him off, her emotions suddenly raging. This was ending. Now. "Max, he hurt me and he attacked you. He's out of control. We have to find out what we need to do to stop him!"

"Isabel or Michael could do the same thing." Max tried to reason with her.

"They don't know him like I do."

The statement pierced Max's heart, and caused him to remember exactly how close Liz had been to Jeremy. They'd been intimately close. It made him sick to think of it. "You obviously didn't know him well enough, or you'd have never agreed to marry him."

Liz's back went rigid. How dare he accuse her! She'd only settled because she couldn't have him. Her eyes were hard as she stood. "I'll tell Isabel and Michael that I'm going to connect with Jeremy." Max opened his mouth the object, but Liz cut him off. "Isabel can listen in, but you can't stop me from doing this. It's too important, and you know that."

Max scrambled to his feet. "Liz, wait!" Liz could hear the pleading in his voice and she stopped in her tracks. "I know this is important, but you could get hurt." Max's voice cracked slightly. "I can't protect you when you're in there…"

"What do you mean, you can't protect me?"

Max slowly exhaled, "it's dangerous," he said stubbornly.

Liz turned around. "You keep saying that. Max, what's so dangerous?"

Max bit his lip and averted his eyes.

"If you want to protect me, I need to know the dangers." Liz gently put a hand on his arm. Max finally dragged his eyes to meet hers, and the world stopped. "What happened to you?" Liz barely whispered when she saw the pain in his eyes.

Max looked away again. Liz could see his face beginning to crumple. She reached her arms around his waist and pulled him to her. His arms enveloped her as he rested his chin on her head. "I learned most of what I know about connections from Kivar," he finally said.

Liz shuddered at the name. "What did he do to you?" she asked, her face still buried in his chest.

"Please don't ask." Max's voice trembled. "If you see something that you can't handle, there's no going back. It'll be with you the rest of your life," he added as he pulled Liz closer.

"Max," Liz murmured. The broken sound in his voice made her ache. "I'm so sorry." Once again, their connection flared to life with little thought from either of them.

_I just can't bear the idea of you having to live with what you might see. _Max explained.

_I understand, Max. I do, but if I'm ever going to feel safe, I need to do this. And I need your support. _

Max released his hold on her and looked down into her face_. I still don't want you to, but if it's what you need to do, then I'll be here for you. _Max finally conceded.

They stood looking at each other for a long time, feeling each other's emotions and speaking words of encouragement that only the other could hear. They were startled by Maria clearing her throat. "I know that you guys have a lot to catch up on, but there are some things we need to take care of…"

Liz shot her friend an embarrassed smile. "Yeah, Max and I were just discussing that."

"Sure…" Maria joked as she stared at the couple, who were still in each other's arms.

Liz pulled away from Max. "I suppose I should probably also explain where I've been the past week?" Liz quickly walked over and gave Maria a hug.

"Yeah, what was all that about? Michael said that you called off the wedding and that you were in Davis. What happened?" Maria slid an arm around Liz's waist as the two began their decent back to the car with Max trailing behind them.

Liz took a deep breath. "I couldn't do it any more, Maria." She explained as they reached the bottom where Isabel. Michael and Kyle were standing. She looked up at the three and then back at Max who joined the circle. "When I told Jeremy that the wedding was off, he…" Liz took another deep breath, "he hit me." She met Michael's eyes and saw them flash with anger, and Isabel took a small step back, stunned. "My dad came in before he could do it again."

Maria let go of Liz's waist and turned to face her. "He hit you?" Her voice was quiet, like a little girl who was lost.

Liz nodded but didn't meet her eyes. "While Jeremy moved out, I went to Davis to salvage anything that hadn't been shipped to Washington. Kyle came with me."

"Why didn't you tell us?" Maria demanded to know.

"I was embarrassed." Max came up behind Liz and gently rested a hand on her shoulder. She turned and looked at him. "I knew what he was thinking, and I egged him on, because I knew it was the one excuse everyone would accept for me breaking it off," she explained, keeping her gaze on him.

Max swallowed. "There had to be another way, Liz."

"There wasn't, Max. There still isn't." Liz turned to face Maria, Michael, Isabel and Kyle. "I'm going to connect with Jeremy and try to figure out what's happened. Once we know, we can form a plan."

Isabel frowned. "Liz, I'm not sure that's a good idea."

Liz looked at her friends. "Does anyone else have a better idea?"

Michael cleared his throat.

"One that doesn't involve blasting him…" Liz added before Michael could say anything. There was silence as everyone tried to find another way. After several moments Liz cleared her throat. "I'm doing this," she said with quiet determination. Reluctantly, everyone agreed. Liz sat down on a smooth rock. The warm sun beat down on her as she made herself comfortable. She closed her eyes and began to concentrate.

_Liz,_ Max's voice shot through her head. _Please let Isabel connect with you._

_Max, after what you just told me, do you really want to put Isabel through that?_

_No, but I don't want you to do this alone. _

Liz's independent streak reasserted itself vigorously_. I can take care of myself Max. Plus if there's something bad to see, why force more than one of us to see it. If something happens, at least it only happens to me. _

Max's thoughts were clearly in turmoil, and Liz opened her eyes and looked directly at him. They both flinched at the electricity that flowed through them at the look_. I couldn't bear it if anything happened to you…_ Max told her. _You've already been through too much because of me._

Liz twisted her mouth into a half smile_. It's worth it, Max. When this is all over, it'll be worth it, _she promised. _Trust me,_ she added as she began to disconnect from him.

The last thing Liz felt before she disconnected with Max was his intense love for her. _I've always trusted you,_ he confided.

Liz smiled as she closed her eyes again, and let herself drift. She focused on the sun beating down on her, the warmth made her skin prickle. Her mind had to be completely clear before she could find Jeremy's mind. After the day's events, it was hard for her to concentrate on the task at hand. She was too full of worry and anger. She took a deep breath and recalled Jeremy's face. First she remembered his fun spiky hair and full lips. He's always had a nice smile, she reflected. She focused on his eyes, and remembered them filled with love for her. Her stomach plummeted as she remembered those same eyes filled with anger. She shoved aside her feelings as she began to feel a familiar thought frequency. She'd found him. It was almost like seeing a trail of smoke from an extinguished candle. She followed the faint stream of emotions until she was sure she'd found his mind.

It was still a surreal feeling, connecting with someone. Especially when they didn't know that someone was listening to their private thoughts. Slowly, she pried open his conscious and practically cried out at the feelings that assaulted her. He was embarrassed about something, she realized as he mentally squirmed. She tried to pay attention to the thoughts that streaming towards her like dozens of arrows. "You're fired," she felt a man say.

Liz took a deep breath and tried not to respond to the hope that flared to life within her. It was impossible to know if what was said had just happened or was a distant memory. She desperately searched for another thought that would help explain everything she felt coming from him.

_

* * *

She saw Jim Valenti standing in front of her. Jeremy was sitting in an uncomfortably hard chair in a room she recognized as the interrogation room at the Roswell police station. "So tell me again, Mr. Highland, why did you pull a gun on Max Evans?"_

"_I felt that he was a threat," Liz heard Jeremy reply._

"_What kind of threat?" Jim inquired as he sat across from him, looking concerned. "Is the FBI watching him?"_

"_You know I can't answer that, Jim."_

"_But if he's endangering my citizens, I have a right to know." _

_Liz heard Jeremy sigh. "I don't have anything else to say."_

"_Then I'm afraid I'm gonna need to call you're superiors to talk to them about this…" Jim stood and began to walk out of the room._

"_Jim, wait." Jeremy said softly, "my superiors don't know about this yet."_

_Jim shut the door and sat back down. "Why not?"_

_Jeremy grunted. "I really can't say. It'd be dangerous for all involved."_

"_I don't believe that." Jim's voice was harsh. "I think you just don't want your superiors to know what you used your badge for today."_ With that Jim left the room, and the scene dissolved before Liz's eyes.

Again, Liz felt Jeremy's frustration and anger as she again heard, _"you're fired, Highland."_

Liz again tried to filter between Jeremy's thoughts and emotions that were barraging her. She could feel his anger, and his frustration. Again, she found herself in the white room.

"_Alien life forms don't exist," an older man in a suit was saying. "At least not to the world at large…" He opened a door and made a motion for several people to step inside._

Liz was about to try to delve deeper, when she felt a familiar pressure in her mind. She forcibly disconnected herself, hoping that Jeremy wouldn't notice her response. Liz's eyes flew open. Everything was hazy, but she could feel Max. The terror that he felt was unlike anything she'd ever experienced before. Still lost in the connection that she'd held with Jeremy, she blinked trying to bring her eyes back into focus. _I'm here Max, I'm fine._ She reassured him. She felt his hand squeezing her own, and she squeezed back weakly as she tried to reorient herself. She was in Max's bedroom, lying on his bed.

In answer to her unasked questions, Max explained. _It was too hot to stay out there, so we brought you back here. You've been connected with him for almost three hours. You scared me._

Liz stiffly pulled herself up to a sitting position. _It's okay Max. I'm fine_. She repeated as he shifted his position from kneeling next to the bed to sitting beside her legs.

_Promise me you won't do that again_, he pleaded.

Liz had never felt such anguish before. She bit her lip, unable to make the promise. _I think he got fired_, Liz said, referring to Jeremy. _But I also got the impression that he may think you're not from around here…_

Max's panic was clear through the connection. _You mean?_

Liz nodded as she scooted closer to him. _I'm not sure, but he said something to Valenti that makes me think he suspects you._

Max frowned and tried to stand, but Liz griped his arm. _Max, if Jeremy isn't working for the special unit anymore, everyone is just gonna think he's an obsessed nut. No one's going to take him seriously. _Liz tried to reassure him.

_Liz, Hubble was an "obsessed nut." Anyone who suspects us is dangerous. _

Liz nodded. _Then we just have to figure out how to convince him that he's wrong._


	37. Chapter 37:Not Who She Thought He Was

**A/N: Yeah two months is a LONG time to not post. Sorry about that. It seems every time I'd sit down to write or edit, something would happen that needed my IMMEDIATE attention and this had to be set aside. I'm close to finishing the actual writing though, which means that it'll be faster updates as editing isn't nearly as time consuming as writing is. At least not for me.**

**Thanks to _Jessica _and _iugome_ for recent reveiws that kinda kicked my butt back into gear. Kudos to _Radiogirl_ who's read this already and gave it a go ahead...**

**Hope you guys enjoy this. Reveiw, even if it's to toss rotten tomatoes at me! ;-)**

**Chapter 37**

Liz arrived home at dinnertime. After arguing and debating options for the rest of the day without coming up with a clear plan, she felt discouraged. She meandered through the busy café and headed upstairs. She unlocked the door to the apartment and stepped inside. "I'm home," she called to the house. Jeff Parker quickly entered the living room.

"Where've you been?" His voice was tight with concern.

Liz set down her purse and gave him a quick hug. "I was with Isabel and Maria," she grimaced. "I had to tell them the wedding was off."

Jeff held his daughter a bit tighter as he said, "did you hear about the disturbance today?"

"With Max?" she asked as she pulled away and studied at his concerned face as he nodded. "Yeah, I was with Isabel when she got the call."

Jeff frowned. "I heard Jeremy was involved."

Liz bit her lip. "I really don't know all the details, but yeah, I heard the same thing."

Jeff leaned against the back of the couch. "I'm sorry that he wasn't who you thought he was Lizzie."

Liz nodded and said, "me too."

Liz finally managed to escape to her room after a torturous dinner with her parents. The conversation was stilted, and she had spent much of her time trying to evade their looks of concern by eating quickly. She shut the door firmly behind her with a sigh. She felt like she was 16 years old again, sneaking around behind her parents back. She rolled her eyes as she headed for the bathroom.

Her stomach clenched as she turned on the light. For some perverse reason, the memory of her argument with Jeremy flashed through her mind. She gently rubbed her cheek as she fought back tears. As much as she wished she didn't have to, she knew she had to face it. She sat on the floor and savagely pushed her hair away from her face. Once the tears started falling, they refused to stop. She took a heaving breath, and shut her eyes tight as the tears continued to fall. She didn't want to feel this way about Jeremy. She hadn't even really loved him. Not that feelings were ever rational, she reasoned as she wiped away a tear.

More than anything, she hated the pity. It was in everyone's eyes. If it wasn't pity, it was fury. She'd spent almost the entire day reassuring both Max and Michael that she was fine, and trying to keep them from simply killing Jeremy the next time they saw him.

She let out a ragged laugh. The truth was she was far from fine. She felt like she was slowly destructing. As insane as it was, she missed Jeremy. The thought sent tears coursing down her face as she admitted to herself that she missed the familiar feeling of him snuggling next to her as she fell asleep. She didn't want to miss him but she did, and she hated herself for it. She hated the feeling that made her want to connect with him again, even though what she saw almost always hurt. It was like an addiction. The thought made her eyes prick with new tears. She bit her lip and shook her head in frustration. Her watery eyes caught a glint of something behind the toilet. She blinked. It was her engagement ring. She reached around the bowl and grabbed it. The stone glistened in the light as she rolled the band back and forth with her fingers.

The flash was over so fast, she wasn't sure she'd really seen anything. It seemed like she was looking through binoculars at a house... She frowned and looked at the ring again, trying to focus on it. Liz huffed in frustration when nothing happened. _Flashes aren't something you can control,_ she reminded herself. She stood and set the ring on the counter. She stared at herself in the mirror for several minutes, taking in the angry redness in her eyes and moist cheeks. She scrubbed her face with a cool washcloth. She picked up the ring again. It was cool against her fingers. Nothing happened. She rolled her eyes as she set it down again before she turned off the light and stalked out of the bathroom.

Liz jumped when she saw a shadow pass her window. A moment later, Max's face came into view as he knelt in front of the closed pane. Liz self consciously smoothed her hair as she went to the window and opened it. The desert air was still warm from the heat of the day; it wafted across her face. "What are you doing here Max?"

"I…I felt something," he stuttered. "I just wanted to make sure you were okay."

"What did you feel?" She asked, feeling worried and perplexed.

"Just you… Just that you needed a friend," he finished as his amber eyes met hers.

The tiredness and emptiness that Liz had been feeling melted away at his look. She placed her hand on his knee. "Thanks Max," she smiled.

He bit his lip shyly as they stared intently at each other. Liz smiled broadly as his hands covered hers. Their fingers intertwined as Max gently pulled her out onto the balcony. "I know my timing sucks, but I needed to tell you this," Max finally said.

"Tell me what?" Liz queried.

"I've made some terrible mistakes in my life, but not one comes close to the mistake I made when I let you walk away that first time." He took a deep breath as he looked at their intertwined hands. "I need you to know that whatever the past, and whatever the future, I'll love you."

As his words wound their way to Liz's heart, it danced with joy. "I'll love you more," she whispered.

Max grinned broadly, and Liz's heart quivered. His smile lit up the night. Slowly, he released her hand, and brought both hands to her face. His thumbs tenderly caressed her cheek. Liz brought her hands up to his, and marveled at their size and strength. She leaned forward in anticipation. His warm breath tickled her face as his forehead rested against hers. They were silent for a moment as they simply looked in each others eyes. Then Max slowly moved his lips toward hers and she felt them caress hers lightly. She slid her hands down his arms then back up to circle his neck. She smiled slightly as she closed her eyes and met his lips firmly.

Max's hands slid behind her neck and pressed her closely to him as he took her lips in between his and pulled gently. Liz could feel her heart falter. She opened her eyes and looked at him. She grinned, realizing that he had a five o'clock shadow. Max was no longer a boy, he was a man she marveled, as she gently ran her hand over his rough cheek. Max's eyebrows shot upwards momentarily before he closed the distance between them again. "You are my reason for living," he murmured as he buried he lips into hers in a breath taking kiss. He slowly began to nuzzle and kiss her jaw line and down her neck to her collarbone.

Liz shivered as his rough face made its way down her neck and back up to her ears. She clung to him, feeling that there was nowhere more safe or blissful than in his arms. The thought made her breath catch. When he found a ticklish section near her collar bone, she squirmed and rasped, "Max."

Max looked up. "Hmmm?"

"Nothing," she said as she planted kisses on his forehead and cheeks and anywhere else that her lips could touch.

Max smiled briefly before he attacked Liz's mouth again, pulling away only when his heavy breathing made it impossible to continue. He rested his forehead against Liz's again as he took a few deep breaths. Liz kissed his nose softly, sending sparks throughout his whole body. He could feel Liz's deep happiness and contentment even though they weren't connected; so when the flash of Liz sobbing hit him, it stopped him cold.

Liz felt Max's whole body stiffen as he pulled away. She frowned as she looked up. "What?" she asked quietly.

Max sighed as he pulled her into a hug and kissed the top of her head. "Nothing," he said as he cradled her head against his heart.

Liz twined her hands into the nape of his neck and pulled his face to hers. "Then why did you stop?" She began placing kisses on his lips and cheeks. She licked his lips when he didn't kiss back, and he growled low in his throat.

As Max opened his mouth and pressed his tongue against hers, their connection flared to life, Liz gasped at the feelings that flooded through her. She'd never imagined that someone could want her as badly as Max did at that moment, and yet struggle not to go too far because of his deep love and respect for her. She broke the kiss and placed both hands on his cheeks. She looked deeply at him, her eyes taking in every contour of his face.

_Why were you crying, babe?_ Max asked silently. Liz saw a shadow of worry and pain pass through his eyes.

"I…I…" she stumbled as her thoughts raced ahead, showing Max how she had been sobbing earlier for the loss of what she thought she had found, and the fear of what the future would hold. He caressed face, slowly and gently kissing where her tears had run down her face. He kissed her eyelids, and then finally he let the connection flare completely out of control as he pressed her to him, wishing they were simply one, as it felt they were when they were like this.

Liz clung to him, trying to convey the depth of her feeling. It felt like the all encompassing love that she possessed for him was a mere shadow of what Max held in his soul. The term Love didn't even begin to describe the depth of his devotion.

Max tenderly kissed the top of Liz's head. _I never believed anyone could love me like that,_ he confessed to her. _I'm so sorry that all my love has done was hurt you._

_No, Max, your love has made my life special. It made it worth living._ She held on tighter to him, wishing that she could stay molded against his strong, firm body forever. She was safe here. She belonged here.

_I'm never leaving. You are my destiny, Liz Parker. I was meant only for you._ Max looked down at her, and their eyes met.

Liz couldn't help but smile. She mused that this was quite possibly the most intimate moment of her life. Then she heard a knock on her door, and just about yelled in frustration.

Max chuckled softly as he heard her unkind thoughts at whoever was intruding. _It's okay. I'll just stay out here,_ he reassured her. He gave her a quick squeeze and released her.

Liz reluctantly ducked back into her room and swung the door open. Kyle stood awkwardly before her.

"Hey. I know it's late, but we need to talk," he said as he quickly entered the room.

Liz took a deep breath and leaned against the door as she closed it. "Kyle, what's wrong?"

"I've been thinking about this all day…"

Liz could hear Max's mildly sarcastic thoughts and she struggled not to smile. "What have you been thinking," she asked seriously.

Kyle ran his hand through his hair and sat on the bed. "You kept saying that it seems that Jeremy thinks Max is an alien, right?"

Liz's stomach flipped as she remembered Jeremy's feelings when she connected with him. "Yeah…"

"I was talking with my dad. I asked him how he could possibly know, and we could only think of one way…"

Liz frowned. "What was that?"

"Where's the only place that they would use their powers freely?"

Liz's eyes widened and she heard Max say in her mind, he_ actually might be on the right track…_

"Hang on a second Kyle," Liz interrupted as she headed to the window and stuck her head out. She motioned for Max to join them inside.

Kyle smirked when he saw Max climb through the window. "I should have known you'd be here," he raised his eyebrows at Liz.

Liz knew what Kyle was implying, and felt herself blush a little. After all, he was right. She looked at the floor, as she felt Max's arm go around her waist. "Liz and I needed to talk," Max explained.

Kyle snorted. "Well I guess at least you're talking now…" He shook his head. "Anyways, I was telling Liz that my dad and I think maybe Jeremy has been spying on you for longer than we thought. The only way someone would suspect you is if they saw you using your powers."

Liz saw the scared look that flashed through Max's eyes. She immediately placed a hand on his chest, in an attempt to comfort him. "How could he have been spying on him for so long without us knowing?"

Kyle looked at her disbelievingly. "The FBI spied on Michael how many months before you discovered the feed?"

Max grimaced and Liz felt him tense beneath her touch. "How would we even know?" Liz asked as she fearfully looked around the room, suddenly feeling naked and exposed.

Kyle began to pace around the room. "Dad had this thing that measures electrical impulses; we could borrow it and sweep everyone's houses to make sure there are no cameras or bugs to start."

"That's a good idea," Max said as he stepped away from Liz. He could feel her confusion at the loss of contact. _Jeremy might be watching, _he cautioned. _He thinks I'm trying to seduce you. Let's not give him the ammunition he needs._

Liz nodded. _I'm so sorry, Max._

_Don't be, _Max reassured her. _It'll be fine._

Kyle cleared his throat uncomfortably. It was obvious that Max and Liz were having some kind of private conversation. "Anyways, I just wanted to run it by Liz to see what she thought… I'll be going now," he said as he stumbled towards the door.

"Kyle, hang on a second," Max said.

Kyle waited obediently, but averted his eyes. It just felt wrong to be in the same room knowing that Liz and Max were having a private conversation, even if he couldn't hear it. "I could meet you downstairs," Kyle offered after a moment of awkward silence.

Liz finally broke her gaze from Max. "That's okay, Kyle. Do you think you could get the machine from your dad tonight?"

Kyle frowned. "I think it's at work."

"We need to check this out tonight. Let's go get it." Max said.

"They're not gonna let us waltz into the station and grab it out of dad's office."

Max smiled. "I have my ways." Kyle frowned as Max headed out the window. "Meet me downstairs," Max commanded.

Kyle saw the determined look in Max's eyes and sighed loudly. "I don't suppose I'm going to like this," he plaintively asked Liz.

She shrugged and smiled. "You'll be fine," she said as she opened the door for him. "Thanks Kyle." She gave him a quick hug as he passed her.

"I guess I'll call you from Jail," he said jokingly as he left.

Liz smiled and closed the door. _You'll come back later? _Liz silently asked Max.

_As soon as we have it, I'll come back,_ he replied as he peered at her from outside the window. Liz followed him out and grabbed his hand before he headed over the fire escape.

_Be careful. I love you._ She squeezed his hand.

Max grinned_. I love you too._ He brought her hand to his lips and kissed it gently, then quickly headed down the fire escape.


	38. Chapter 38: Clues from the Crystal Ball

**A/N: Yes, I'm aware that I've been particularly remiss with updating. However with life outside of writing being horrifically busy and weird, it cuts into my writing time, as well as creating a horrid case of writer's block. (It's the bane of my existence!) I solemnly swear that this story will eventually be completed. I don't know when, but it will. I'm wonderfully stubborn that way! **

**The same disclaimers apply; so does the fact that I like comments and criticism. Review when you finish, it makes me happy!**

**Chapter 38**

Liz sat on her lounge chair. She'd forced herself to stop pacing the balcony a moment before. Max had broken the connection before Kyle and he had arrived at the sheriff's station. Liz absently fiddled with the blanket she had draped over the chair. She was worried that the two men would be caught. Her mind spun with the events of the day. The thought of Max in handcuffs disturbed her, and she involuntarily stood and began pacing again. It didn't matter that Max was an alien king who had years experience hiding from his enemies, and that breaking into Roswell's small sheriff station was a simple task for him, she still worried about him. She chuckled at the thought. If anyone ever knew what she was thinking, they'd lock her up… She looked over the edge of her balcony for the millionth time. 

"Stop it Liz," she muttered to herself. "He's not there. You'll know when he's there. So just stop it and do something productive." Her eyes darted around the balcony. There wasn't much she could do at present…or was there? She quickly went back inside and retrieved her engagement ring from the bathroom counter. The flash lasted slightly longer this time and she recognized the house. It was Max's. She frowned, wondering if she was getting Jeremy's latent flashes. She studied the ring again, almost as if the diamond was a crystal ball and looking at it would answer all her questions. 

Liz's musings were interrupted by the now familiar feeling that accompanied Max's presence. She stuck the ring in her pocket and quickly headed out to the balcony where Kyle and Max stood; holding what looked like a palm pilot attached to a wand of some kind. Max grinned at her. "I told you this would be easy," he declared.

Liz glanced at Kyle who looked like he was high on something…probably adrenaline, she concluded as he started to ramble about their foray into his dad's office. "Max made the drainpipe into a ladder, and we climbed up," Kyle exclaimed. "I couldn't believe it!" 

Liz grinned and looked at Max who simply shrugged. "I didn't want to have to climb up the drainpipe," he explained sheepishly before he turned his attention back to the device he held in his hand. 

Kyle redirected his attention towards the device also. He frowned in confusion. "I don't know how this thing works…" He muttered after a moment of looking at the various settings. "Maybe we should call dad?" Kyle looked up at Max and then at Liz who was chuckling at the Kyle's perplexed look.

"Let me see it." Liz gently took the PDA out of Max's hand. She scrolled through the options pushing a few buttons, and suddenly, the device let out a chirp. All three jumped at the sound, and Liz looked furtively at her parent's window above them. She motioned for the three to go inside. After she'd shut the window she turned her attention back to the screen. It was streaming data, and after a moment, she recognized the MHz frequency she'd studied in physics. It was reading the energy in the room. Slowly she began to pass the wand over the room. There were slight jumps when she reached her radio and alarm clock but nothing too suspicious. When she finished her careful sweeping of the room she turned to the two men that were standing in the middle of it, looking worried. She shook her head. "I think it's clean. There's nothing to suggest that he planted anything here." She smiled as she set the Geiger counter down, and gave Max's hand a reassuring squeeze. 

"So, I guess it's off to Max's?" Kyle asked gamely.

Max cleared his throat. "Let's do it tomorrow. It's late, and I don't want to wake my parents up by searching for bugs. We'll do it after they leave for work."

Kyle nodded. "Yeah that makes sense." There was an awkward silence that filled the air as Kyle rocked back on his heels. Kyle's eyes darted between Max and Liz. "I wish you would stop doing that Alien Voodoo around me," he announced a moment later. "It's not like it's bad enough I broke into my dad's office using a ladder that wasn't there, but the two of you talking to each other and making rendezvous' in my presence is just wrong on so many levels." 

Max smirked as he pulled Liz closer. "Sorry Kyle. Why don't we meet tomorrow, and we'll sweep my house and your dad's? I don't think we'll find any at the sheriff's house, but we should do it just to be safe."

"Why don't you think you'll find anything at Dad and Amy's?"

"Because I only saw Jeremy staking out Max's house," Liz replied. Kyle cocked his eyebrow and waited for Liz to explain. "I had a flash while you two were out. Jeremy was watching Max's house."

"When?" Kyle asked as he sat rigidly on the edge of Liz's bed. 

"I don't know. The flash was pretty short. The first time, I didn't even realize it was Max's house." 

Kyle frowned. "It sounds like you had more than one flash."

"She did," Max explained. "She's getting latent flashes from her ring. The first one, she just saw someone looking through binoculars. The second one, she saw my house. It makes sense that it's Jeremy spying on me."

Kyle held up his hand, "wait, what are latent flashes?" 

"They're kind of like memories of events that are stored in inanimate objects," Liz said as she pulled her ring out of her pocket. "In this case, we think its Jeremy's memories being transferred to the ring he gave me."

"Mmmkay," Kyle exhaled loudly. "So pretty much that ring has some of Jeremy's memories?"

Liz shrugged. "Something like that."

"How come you didn't get those flashes before?"

"Because you only get them when you have intense emotions or feelings, or when there is a heightened sense of danger," Max explained.

Kyle rolled his eyes. "Great, so we have to wait for Liz to get all excited before we'll get another clue from the crystal ball?"

Both Max and Liz grimaced at his choice of words, but nodded. After all, Kyle was right about the situation, in a blunt sort of way. "I'll keep trying to work at it," Liz said. 

Kyle put rubbed his temples like he had a headache. "Oh Buddha, this is too much." Max smirked. "Ok, so let's call it a night, and tomorrow, we'll talk more about this flash, and check for bugs. I gotta go meditate now." Kyle stood and headed for the window.

Liz smiled. "Thanks Kyle, you've been a big help." She followed him out and gave him a hug once they were on the balcony. "I'll call you in the morning," she said in a hushed voice.

Kyle nodded, waved at Max, and then quickly descended the ladder jogging off into the night.

Max grinned at Liz. "Alone at last," he murmured as he pulled Liz to him.

Liz tightened her arms around Max's waist and rested her head on his chest. She was silent for several minutes. Finally she asked, "What are we going to do if he has videos of you, Isabel and Michael?"

Max sighed heavily and gently disengaged Liz's arms. "I don't see any other option but to kill him," he said softly.

_Murderer!_ The thought came unbidden from Liz's mind. It hung in the connection between them, echoing the pain and bloodshed that the word encompassed.

_I've killed people before Liz. I hated it, but I have to protect my family,_ Max told her. Liz swallowed, but didn't say anything, so Max continued. _I don't want to kill him because I know you still care for him, but Liz, if he has information that could possibly hurt all of us, I have to do something. _Liz could feel his anger and anguish.

She forced the thoughts she had from her mind as she hugged him tighter. _Alright,_ she said at last. _Let's just hope he doesn't know anything._

Max kissed her head. _I'm sorry._

Liz looked up at him. "Don't be sorry Max. You have to do what you have to do." She pulled away and looked directly into his eyes. _I would do anything to protect you,_ she said silently. 

Max nodded slightly. _So would I_… Max promised.

Both Liz and Max jumped when her parent's bedroom light flicked on. _Go, Max!_ Liz urged as she shoved him towards the fire escape. She watched him descend quickly before settling herself on her chaise. She closed her eyes and pretended to be asleep. She thought she heard a soft knock on her door. She waited a few more moments, and then she felt a gentle hand shake her. She looked up to see her mom wrapped in her robe. 

"What are you doing out here, Liz?" 

Liz blinked for a minute, and rubbed her eyes in what she hoped was a sleepy manner. "Mom?" She sat up. "I came out to look at the stars; I guess I fell asleep." Unbidden, an innocent smile played on her lips, and Nancy smiled back. 

"Come on, let's get you to bed," Nancy said as she wrapped an arm around Liz's waist and steered her towards the window. 

A moment later, Liz lay in her darkened room. _Goodnight, Max,_ she said as she drifted into a light slumber.

_Goodnight Liz,_ Max replied. _I love you._


	39. Chapter 39: Need a Ride?

**A/N: You can thank the fact that in between graduating and finding a real world job, I have some time to write. That, and thank the Law and Order marathon I just had for inspiring me to write the chapters preceeding this that I've been stuck on! Let me know if there's people still reading! I enjoy hearing what you guys thought!**

**Okay I've made you wait long enough, read the next chapter!!**

**Chapter 39**

Liz awoke the next morning with a headache. She glanced at the clock and groaned. It was only 6:30. She laid there for fifteen minutes trying desperately to go back to sleep, but her mind was spinning furiously. She heaved herself out of bed and stumbled into the bathroom. She turned the shower on as hot as she could stand and let the water beat on her skin until it was numb. She knew it was going to be another long day so she continued to linger under the hot water until it was barely warm. Reluctantly, she left the shower and got dressed.

_Max?_ She called mentally, wondering if they were both still connected or not. Lately it was getting harder to differentiate between being connected with Max and not being connected with him. There was no response. She shook her head and didn't attempt to connect with him. She brushed her wet hair as she absently wandered over to her desk. Jeremy's engagement ring sat on top of it, glittering in the morning sunlight. She picked it up, and was hit with a flash.

_Jeremy sat in the jeep; it was parked underneath a large tree, and he was looking at an apartment complex across the street. Beside him were binoculars, and what looked like a CB radio. Then Liz heard Max's voice._

_"Your dress?" he asked._

_"Um yeah," Liz heard herself reply. _

_"What does it look like?" Max asked. _

_"Well, it's white and strapless with lots of beading on the train. It's hard to describe. Maria thought I looked like a goddess in it, so I bought it."_

_"You did." _

_"How do you know that?"_

_"I had several other flashes besides the one I told you about. One was of you wearing that dress." _

_"You saw the wedding?" Liz thought the silence was deafening as she listened to the pause before she heard herself add; "After seeing that flash, I never believed I'd actually marry him."_

_Jeremy's hands tightened on the steering wheel as he glared at Max, who was leaning gently towards Liz as he replied, "You did. You were too afraid of what would happen if you didn't." After a moment, Max cleared his throat and continued, "I had another flash of us getting married too." _

_"Again?" _

_"No, this one was different," Max said with significance._

_"Different how?"_

_"It didn't look like we were in Vegas. But I said something about it being better than the Elvis Chapel so we might have been in Vegas…" He trailed off. After a beat he resumed saying, "Kyle was with us, and we all seemed older somehow."_

_"I don't understand where that's coming from."_

_"That implies that we knew where the first one came from…" After a beat, Max's incredulous voice came over the radio. "You know where the first flash came from?"_

_"It's a long story Max. And Jeremy's going to be home soon. I promise I'll explain what it means later."_

_"So tell him you got a late start." _

_"Bastard," Jeremy muttered as he shifted the binoculars from one hand to the other. _

_"Remember when you thought Kyle and I had slept together?" Liz replied to Max._

_"You told me you didn't sleep with him though." _

_Liz let out a sharp breath that could have passed for a chuckle or a sob; "I didn't. But what I never got to explain to you is why you saw what you saw."_

_"So what happened?" _

_"The night you came and sang to me, I had a visitor who told me that fourteen years into the future the world was destroyed. He asked me to help him change what happened."_

_"Who was he?"_

_"You…you came to me from the future. You needed me to help you change what happened in that timeline."_

_"What exactly happened Liz?" _

_"We fell in love. The problem was Tess left town before the Skins arrived. Without her you couldn't defeat them and slowly they hunted you down and killed Michael and Isabel, and took over this world."_

_"We would have been better off without her." _

_"No you wouldn't have Max. Isabel and Michael would be dead and Kivar would have won. You, well the future you at least, couldn't let that happen. To protect us all, he asked me to make you fall out of love with me."_

_"How would that have changed anything?"_

_"Tess left because of our relationship. So he wanted me to push you away and help you get close to her. We didn't know Tess was a traitor." _

_"So when you came to talk to me that night, you knew all of this?"Jeremy's face twisted into a perplexed frown as he jotted down the names Tess and Kivar as well as time travel and flashes on a piece of paper. _

Liz gasped audibly as she tossed the ring on the desk. "How did he hear that?" She whispered to herself. Before she was fully recovered, Liz felt someone trying to connect with her. In her present state, she wasn't ready for anyone to see her thoughts, so she blocked them. _They'll call back later_; she thought wryly as she pondered what she'd just seen.

It was obvious that Jeremy had heard most of her conversation with Max that day. His jealousy was understandable, considering he happened to hear them talking about their weddings, even if it was weddings from different timelines. Liz continued to ponder what she'd seen as she fiddled with the Geiger counter that Max had left in her room the night before. She was going to have to take it with her. She frowned at the small canvas purse that'd she'd been using the last few days. It'd never fit in there. Remembering that her larger purse was still in the living room, she went to fetch it. As she dumped the black leather purse next to the Geiger counter, it emitted a sharp chirp. Startled, Liz closed the door. She picked up the Geiger counter and fiddled with the settings before running the wand over her purse again. It chirped several times as she waved it over the purse. "I don't believe it…"

Over an hour later, Liz had found the bug. She carefully extracted it from the lining of her purse and set it gingerly on the desk. Something was going to have to be done with it. She just didn't know what yet. She felt a pang of sadness, wishing that Alex was still alive, since undoubtedly, he'd know how to disable it without destroying it. She'd just finished putting the Geiger counter into the purse when she was again assaulted.

_What's so important that you couldn't use a phone, Michael?_ Liz rolled her eyes as she headed for the door.

_Are you kidding? With what's-his-face possibly eavesdropping, you should be thankful I'm NOT using the phone._ Michael's thoughts on Liz's careless attitude floated across the connection.

_Would you feel better if I came over and swept your place for bugs now?_ Liz meandered downstairs and poured herself a mug of coffee before sitting on the dilapidated couch in the break room,.

_Actually, I'd feel better if…_ Liz frowned as Michael appeared to be cut off mid-sentence. She opened all blocks so that when Michael connected again he'd have no trouble.

_Sorry about that…_ Max's thoughts suddenly filled her mind. I told him to stop doing that unless it was an emergency.

Liz chuckled. _Michael's gonna be mad you cut him off._

_He already is, but he'll get over it._ Liz could almost see Max's slight smile and twinkle in his eyes as he heard him say it.

_I'm on my way to your place now.I've got the Geiger counter, and I found a bug in my purse this morning. I'll explain when I get there._

_Are you okay? You seem worried…_

_I'm fine Max. We'll talk more when I get there. I'm walking so it'll probably be 20 minutes or so._

_Do you need a ride?_ His tone held all kind of suggestions that made Liz feel a little weak in the knees.

_Yes, uh no… I mean, yeah a ride would be great._ She replied, trying to keep her thoughts from being shared across the connection.

Liz could hear Max chuckle. _I'll be there soon,_ he promised.

Liz remembered the bug she'd found upstairs as well as her flash. _Actually Max, why don't you have Isabel pick me up, I'm worried about where Jeremy is._

Max's thoughts flew through her mind. They were a contradiction of agreement and protest at her suggestion.

Liz took a deep breath and leaned her head back. _Max, I want to spend some time with you too, but right now…_ her thoughts trailed off as her father came through the swinging doors.

"Morning Lizzy," Jeff said as he hauled Liz to her feet and gave her a hug. "What are you up to today?"

Liz smiled warmly at her dad as she wrapped an arm around his waist. "I was thinking about heading to Las Cruces today." She hurried to explain when she saw the puzzled look on Jeff's face. "Since I'm not heading back to Davis, I have to find somewhere to finish the last semester for my BS. Las Cruces has a Biology program, so I'm thinking maybe I can take the classes I need there, and come home on the weekends?"

Jeff grinned broadly. "I'd love that."

Liz smiled back. "I just called Isabel to see if I could borrow their car to drive over there."

"Why don't you just take my car?"

"I thought you'd probably need it. Didn't you say you had some stuff to do?"

Jeff shrugged. "I could come with you, and then afterwards I can get what I needed."

"Thanks for the offer Dad, but…" Liz trailed off, trying to think of a good excuse.

_Tell him that you wanted some time by yourself to think about everything,_ Max prompted.

Liz jumped slightly. She'd forgotten that Max was still connected with her. "Actually, I kind of wanted some time away to sort things out." Liz looked at the scuffed floor. "It's been rough couple of weeks, and I just need to have some time."

Jeff nodded and placed both hands on Liz's face. "Its gonna be okay, sweetie. I know it."

"I know. It's just hard." Liz's voice wavered, and she swallowed. She wasn't supposed to be getting all emotional about this! "Anyways, I'm heading over to Isabel's now to pick up the car. I should be home later tonight. I have my cell phone if you need to reach me." She pecked her father's cheek and hastily walked past the café before he could say anything else.

_Good save,_ Max complemented her. _Isabel's on her way now._

_Thanks for the suggestion,_ Liz replied as she meandered down Main Street in the direction on the Evan's home.

Liz was almost to the corner when Isabel's black mustang pulled alongside here. "Heard you needed a lift?" Isabel asked as the engine idled loudly.

Liz smiled and nodded. An unnatural silence filled the car as Isabel swung around and headed back towards their house. Isabel pulled into her driveway and killed the car. Before Liz could get out she asked quietly, "Are you okay?"

"I'm dealing," Liz said quietly and reached for the door handle.

"I didn't ask if you are dealing with it, I asked if you're okay." Liz looked at Isabel, her eyes were radiating concern. Isabel's gaze shifted from Liz to the garage door in front of them. "I never told anyone, but before we knew Grant was the host for the parasite, I was really hurt that he'd betrayed us. Even after, every time I thought about it, I'd feel sick. I still do. I could deal, but I wasn't okay."

Liz nodded slightly. "Why didn't you say anything?"

Isabel arched her eyebrow. "Why don't you?"

"Because…" Liz took a deep breath, "because I don't think I can."

Isabel placed her cool hand on Liz's. "That's what I thought. Just remember, you're not alone."

Liz felt a small smile pull at her lips. "Kyle said the same thing."

"Smart man," Isabel said. "The thought helps, but talking about it helps even more…" Isabel's warm brown eyes looked intently into Liz's.

Liz sighed. "I know I'm going to have to talk about it and deal with it eventually, but right now that's tough because he's not gone. We're still trying to figure out what the fallout is, and I can't help with planning if I'm emotional."

Isabel sighed as she leaned her head back. "I don't know if being over rational or emotional is worse. Just.." Isabel paused, searching for the right words to say. "Just remember the fallout's bigger the longer you wait." After a beat, she opened her door and swung her lean legs out. "Let's get inside; I hate it when the boys watch us from the window, like we can't see them." She rolled her eyes dramatically as she made her way up the walkway, effectively ending the conversation. Liz followed, pondering what Isabel had said, and wondering what kind of fallout Isabel was talking about.

* * *

Diane Evans tossed her car keys on the kitchen counter as she entered her home. Phillip had called and asked her to pick up a file he'd left in his office. She could hear soft murmurings from Max's door as she past. Pausing, she knocked softly and then entered. She was surprised to see Michael, Liz, Maria and Kyle crammed into the room with her children. Liz held some kind of electric device in her hand. Her eyes widened as she looked at the friends all huddled together. "Max?"

Max's head shot up from looking over Liz's shoulder. "Mom? What are you doing home?" He quickly strode in front of the group, obviously trying to shield Diane from what they were doing.

"Your dad forgot a file in his office." Diane batted her hand away dismissively and craned her neck around her son's tall body. "What are you kids doing?" Max's body visibly stiffened and Isabel's eyes dart between herself and Max. "Isabel," Diane prompted.

"Mom," Max cut off quickly as he led her out of the room and shut the door behind them.

"Max what's going on? Why is everyone here?" She looked up at Max's furrowed face. "Max, what's wrong?"

Max closed his eyes for a moment, he seemed about to reply when Isabel slipped out of the door behind them. Her eyes held the same scared, worried look Diane remembered seeing when they first returned home, to tell them of the life they'd lived while she thought them dead. It still seemed unreal that Max, Isabel and Michael were aliens. It defied logic, despite the proof they offered her. She often wondered what other secrets they kept from her. What secrets they were keeping from her now.

Isabel placed a hand on Max's arm. "It's clean," she whispered quietly. Max nodded and then returned his gaze to his mom.

"There's nothing to worry about mom," he said authoritatively.

Diane shook her head and tucked an errant strand of hair behind her ears. "Honey…" She paused for a moment, taking a step nearer her children. "Trust me, please. What's going on?"

Isabel took a deep breath; she exhaled before muttering, "Just tell her."

Max shook his head. "I can't. It isn't safe."

"What isn't safe?" Diane pleaded. "Are you in danger?" Her maternal instincts flared to life and her eyes widened at the thought that her children could be in trouble. Possible scenarios began to fly through her head.

Isabel stepped out from behind Max. "Max, you're scaring her. Just tell her the truth; she's been able to handle everything else!"

Diane could see the war in her son's eyes. "Please Max, let me help you!"

"Mom, no!" Max exclaimed.

"Just tell her Max," Isabel commanded. "We can trust her."

The two women held their breath in unison as Max looked around helplessly. Finally Max took a deep breath before answering in a defeated tone, "We're being investigated by someone from the FBI."

She couldn't believe what she was hearing, her babies were being investigated? How could they possibly know that they were aliens when they'd lived with her for years and she'd barely been suspicious? Then her mind latched on to something, it seemed Max knew who was behind this. "Who?" Her voice was high and tight.

"Jeremy Highland," Isabel supplied.

Suddenly, everything clicked. Max's despondency over Liz's engagement, sheriff Valenti's visit, the connections… "Liz knows." It wasn't a question, it was a statement.

Max swallowed. "She knows," he confirmed. Diane could hear his voice waver slightly.

"Then why is she marrying him?"

"I'm not," a new voice said. Diane blinked to see Liz, Michael, Kyle and Maria standing in the doorway to Max's room. "I couldn't, not once I found out…" Liz's voice faltered and Diane felt her eyes prick with tears. This woman had endured a lot for her children. More than she could imagine.

" I don't understand, what…" Diane's voice trailed off.

Michael sighed exasperatedly. "Of course she doesn't understand," he muttered receiving a sharp hit from Maria. "Ow!"

Isabel shot Michael a look of death before turning her attention back to her mother. "We think he found out before Liz suspected anything." Isabel rolled her eyes in annoyance and Max nudged her in warning. "We're trying to figure out what he knows."

Diane leaned heavily against the wall. She searched the eyes of the young adults in front of her. Each of them showed worry and fear. It hurt her especially to see it in the guarded dark eyes of her son. "What can I do?"


	40. Chapter 40: 285 North

**A/N: Its funny how fast time goes sometimes. It seems like I just updated this, then I go back and realize it has been two months!! I want to say a special thank you to all my reveiwers. I was just looking back on them today. Your positive words and encouragement have been greatly appreciated. Shout out to Amy, who's been especially fantastic.**

**So this is the beginning of the end. Perhaps my reluctance to post is because it's getting close to the end? Or it could be I'm terrified of my readers reaction to this plot point. Even if you hate it, let me know. There's only one way for an author to know what the reader thinks of the stories they tell: feedback! Even more so, constructive feedback! :-)**

**Alright go read, then Reveiw!**

**Chapter 40**

Liz cautiously opened the door. She let out a sigh of relief when she realized no one was home. Closing the door softly behind her, she leaned her head on the door frame. She took a deep breath, trying to assauge the roiling emotions in her chest. Shaking her head, she slowly backed away from the door and stumbled to her room.

Her childhood room used to be her sanctuary. As she dully looked at the boxes on the floor and the old curtains, it no longer felt comfortable. SHE no longer felt comfortable. The memory of the pain he felt nagged her. The word _muderer_ rang through her head until it made her dizzy. This _was not how things were supposed to go._ That thought wrought a single, silent tear from her eyes. She wrapped her arms around herself with her hands fisted onto the back edge of her shirt as she felt her body coil with suppressed emotion. He was dead, and no one could bring him back.

Liz wasn't sure how long she sat on the floor. Finally she stood; more hollow and numb than before. She considered taking a shower hoping to remove the stain the day had left on her soul, but she knew it wouldn't. Instead, she headed for the brick wall and swiftly jimmied the loose brick out before taking out her journal. Crossing the room, she flopped on her bed. Something sharp and uncomfortable poked her thigh. She reached her hand into her pocket and produced her engagement ring. Nausea rose as she remembered Jeremy giving it to her. He'd been so hopeful and happy then… She struggled to take a deep breath as she set the ring gingerly on her bedside table; it wasn't like she could give it back to him now. If only she could go back in time to stop herself from dating him to begin with.

She stared at the blank open page of her journal for long minutes, wondering what to say. Should she write about the relief she was feeling, or the guilt? What his last thoughts were? What her last thoughts were? Did she even really know if Jeremy was dead?

Flopping back on the bed she buried her face in her pillow and tried to remember to breathe. She heard the front door to the house open faintly and she made her way to the bathroom to try to hide the anguish on her face. No one could know what she'd done. Five minutes later, she emerged from the bathroom. She let out a small cry of surprise when she saw Maria sitting on her bed. "God, you scared me!"

Maria smiled wanly, and held up a carton of ice cream with two spooons. "After the way you took off today, I thought maybe you could use some."

Liz bit her lip while joining Maria on the bed. "Thanks," she said softly as she took a spoon.

The two girls sat in silence for several minutes before Maria finally asked, "What happened today?"

Liz looked at her with a frown. _How did she know?_

Maria answered her unspoken question. "We've been best friends since like first grade Liz. You may have those weird mind links with Max, Michael and Isabel, and you may be an expert at lying to your parents and the world, but I know you. Your eyes get this..." Maria waved her hands trying to find the words to describe what she was seeing in her friend's eyes, "this hard glint in them when you're hiding something."

"I can't tell you," Liz whispered. "You'd never forgive me."

"Uh Babe, it's me." Maria grinned. "I've always got your back."

Liz shook her head; her eyes glistened with unshed tears as she remembered what had transpired earlier that day. It seemed like she had been rembering for hours before she finally spoke. "I never thought it'd get to this point, you know?" She struggled to find the words as she finally met Maria's inquisitive gaze. "How do you end up killing the man you thought you'd love forever?"

Maria blinked. "Kill? Liz, what are you talking about?"

"Jeremy's dead, I think I killed him." A fiery tear tore down her cheek as the reality set in. "Oh my God, I think I killed him. I'm a murderer!" Liz exclaimed as Maria pulled her tightly into her arms. The feeling of security in her best friend's arms broke the dam. Liz cried and sobbed until she thought there was no way she was still breathing. Taking several shuddering breaths she finally detached herself from Maria's sodden sholder.

Maria quickly dabbed away her own tears before she tried her own voice. It was soft and rough as she asked, "What happened?"

Liz flopped against the headboard as if she lost all muscle control. "I don't know exactly. He was thinking about ways to capture Max and prove that he was an alien. I think he knew it would hurt him more than killing him." Liz took a several deep breaths before continuing. "Suddenly I felt like I was in the White Room. It was like when they tortured Max the first time, but instead it was me. I was so hurt and scared and confused I did anything I could to stop it. I think I gave him a stroke. All I know is suddenly there was this terrible pain and then everything just... Stopped. I'm so scared Maria, what do I do?"

Maria grasped Liz's hands. "Have you tried connecting with him since?"

Silently, Liz shook her head.

"I can't believe I'm saying this, but maybe you should. He might not even be dead. Maybe he's just hurt, or it could be he just has a really bad headache." Maria paused at Liz's skeptical face. "Okay, maybe not the last one, but until you try again, you don't know for sure. Besides, how can you kill someone by listening to their thoughts anyways?"

"I don't think I can do it..."

Maria lightly bit her glossy lips in thought. "Well, I guess you could tell the guys where he last was, and they can go check on him..."

"No!" Liz interrupted, "no, they can't do that."

"At this point, I think those are our only options, babe."

Hesitatingly, Liz nodded. "Yeah, you're right. God, I really don't want to do this."

"I'll be here. If anything happens, I'll shake you out of it." Maria winked as she settled next to Liz on the bed.

"Just, give me a few minutes, kay?"

Maria nodded and held Liz's hand. The two women stared blankly at the ceiling. One wondered how to console her friend, the other thinking of what would happen if her suspicions were true. The only plan either girl could think of was, run.

Liz closed her eyes, trying to calm herself enough to form a connection. Breathing deeply she tried to think of anything but the pain she'd felt before the last connection ended. Shaking her head she tried again. This time, Max's voice invaded her thoughts, get out now, Liz. She frowned and checked her mental blocks. Max wasn't connected with her, yet it had felt like he was. The thought of running pounded even stronger in her mind. There was no other way for it to end. She'd killed an FBI agent! There would be retribution. She felt the pressure of tears building behind her closed lids. As one leaked out she opened her eyes. "I can't do this Maria."

Maria stroked Liz's brown hair silently for a few moments. "Where was he? I'll take Michael with me."

* * *

Michael was going to maim who ever was interrupting his dream of swimming in a river full of Snapple, he decided as he shook his head to clear it. He'd moved into his dilapidated studio only a few days before, despite Isabel's disapproval and Max's warning. He navigated through the bare living space, pulling his sweats up slightly. They immediately slid low on his hips again. He looked through the peep hole and fumbled with the four locks on his door before opening it and gesturing inside for Maria. She shook her head and remained in the dimly lit hall. "We need to go now."

Michael scratched his head. "Where? We didn't have a date planned did we?" He left the door open and lumbered over to the refridgerator. He grabbed the lone Snapple from the fridge, twisted the top off and drank half the bottle in a gulp. After lowering it from his mouth he eyed Maria. She'd entered his apartment and closed the door behind her. He narrowed his eyes as he noticed her fidgeting with tie on the shirt thingie she was wearing. Maria was often hyper and doing things, but fidgeting was only something she did when she was either really nervous, upset, or both and trying to hide it.

"No, no date," she said as she glanced quickly at him before turning away.

Michael knew then that something was wrong. He abruptly set the bottle on the counter and stalked over to her. "So what's wrong?"

Maria looked startled. "N-nothing's wrong," she stammered. "Why would you think something's wrong?"

Michael grabbed her hands that were still tugging on the strings of her shirt and said, "You're fidgeting. What's wrong?"

Maria released her hands from Michael's grip and began to walk around the room. "You have to promise not to yell, or blast something."

Michael's eyebrows shot up in surprise. This wasn't going to be good. Trying to alleviate the tension that the room had been infused with, he raised his hands, "me, blast something?"

Maria shook her head. "Just forget it. I knew I should have just gone alone..." she started to walk past him when he gently grabbed her arm.

"Hey, just wait a second." Michael ran a quick hand through his already messed hair. "I didn't say I wouldn't come with you, I just need to know where we're going."

Maria looked at him; he could see an internal debate behind her eyes. Connecting with her had never seemed so tempting or so scary. He focused his gaze into her eyes. "What's going on? Trust me," he practically pleaded. God, he sounded like a girl.

After a few moments of silence, Maria replied. "We're going on 285 north. I'll explain on the way." Michael was about to protest when Maria cut him off. "Just get dressed, and meet me in the car, I swear I'll explain." She pecked his cheek before turning around and letting herself out the door.

Michael shook his head as he picked up a shirt off the floor. After smelling it to ascertain that it was clean, he slipped it over his head and grabbed a pair of black jeans that were in a clean laundry basket. After exchanging them for his sweats, he grabbed his keys and followed his mysterious girlfriend out the door. He really hoped he could contain the urge to blast something when Maria told him what was going on...

They'd just cleared the outskirts of Roswell when Michael got up the courage to ask Maria what they were doing. "So, not that I don't love spending time with you alone, on the highway, in a car with crappy air conditioning, but I'd like to know what we're doing." Maria's knuckles tightened noticeably on the steering wheel. Michael eyed her hands before returning his gaze to her face. He was about to continue prodding when he heard a siren.

"Crap," Maria whispered as she slowed the car down and pulled to the side. She recognized her stepfather's SUV quickly approaching them, lights flashing. Instead of pulling in behind them, he continued to speed down the road.

"Was that?" Michael asked pointing to the vehicle quickly making its way towards the horizion.

Maria nodded as she pulled her car back onto the highway. "Yep, that was Jim."

Maria's lack of any other response had Michael worried. "You don't seem surprised."

"I'm not. We'll probably see him where we're going."

"Now is not the time to get cryptic with me. Where are we going?" Michael demanded.

Maria chanced a glance at him before returning her attention to the road. "We're going to find out if Jeremy is dead."


	41. Chapter 41: ID's, ME's and the PD

**A/N: Yes, I'm aware that this chapter is MONTHS in coming and that it's rather short to boot. I apologize, but sometimes life, the universe and everything gets in the way of writing. (And apparently my mused didn't get the notice that I moved and took forever to track me down!) I wanted to make this chapter longer for you guys, but seriously, it was the best place to stop. I promise the next chapter will be up in a more timely manner. It's also much longer than this one, so please continue to be patient, this is one story that _will not_ end up neglected and unfinished.**

**Please Reveiw, as it's been encouraging me as I labor to finish this up!!!! :-D**

**CHAPTER 41**

Jim Valenti was on his way home when the call came in. A single car rollover with a fatality had just been found on 285 north of town. Groaning, he readjusted his cowboy hat before pulling out his cell phone to apologize to Amy for missing dinner with her and Kyle. He'd just hung up the phone when he passed a red jetta. He thought it looked like his stepdaughter's car, but didn't put much thought into it as he came over a small rise in the road and the accident came into view.

A white jeep Cherokee sat on its side several hundred yards off the road. The front window was completely smashed, and the hood had almost completely collapsed into a wrinkled mess of medal. Most of the damage was to the driver's side. Examining the car, he noticed that the paramedics had probably dragged the victim out of the passenger side door. Given the extent of damage to the vehicle, he was surprised that they hadn't needed the Jaws of Life. Turning back towards the highway, he noted the path the vehicle took as it somersaulted to its current position. Backtracking, he came to the highway. He was about to examine the skid marks when he noticed the familar red jetta driving past the scene. His gut lurched as he recognized Maria and very likely Michael in the passenger seat.

Jim instincts immediately were on high alert as he looked back at the wrecked SUV. It was the same color, make and model as the car Jeremy Highland drove. He quickly flagged over a deputy. "Any progress on the victim's ID?"

"Sure thing sheriff, name's Jeremy Highland. Has a California driver's license..."

Jim didn't hear another thing as the deputy continued to talk. "Aw hell," he murmered as he walked away from the deputy, pulling out his cell phone.

"Hello?" Jim heard Maria's voice answer after several rings.

"Why are you and Mr. Guerin casing my accident?"

"Hi Jim," Maria said sarcastically, "How are you? I'm fine."

"Maria, the last place you and Michael should be is here. I thought you knew that by now." Jim leaned against his SUV staring back towards Roswell. He continued a moment later, his voice low and urgent. "With Jeremy dead and the cause still under investigation, I don't want any of you tied up in this!"

"He's really dead?" Maria sounded scared to him.

"You didn't know?"

"...not really," Maria's voice came after a pause. Her tone was one he'd come to know well. One that confidently told half truths while leaving the rest of the information hanging just behind it.

He was about to pry for more details when the medical examiner arrived. Sighing he looked back at the scene before relenting, he needed to have this conversation in private anyways. "I'll probably be here a few hours, but when I get back, everyone better be ready to talk to me, do I make myself clear?"

"I'll tell them."

"Thank you. Now you get back to Roswell, you hear?"

He heard Maria sigh in what he assumed was annoyance. Her mother made the same sound when she was annoyed with him. "Yes, Dad," she said mockingly. A moment later he heard the click of the line being disconnected. He stuffed his phone back into its holder next to his radio as he went to greet the ME.


	42. Chapter 42: Aw Hell!

**A/N: I'm gonna pretend it hasn't been 6 months since I last updated. EEEP! Sorry! Thanks for all of your reveiws. If it wasn't for them, I'd probably never have gotten around to posting this... It's been a crazy year! Thanks for your feedback and support! It really has been great! Tell me what you think. Good? Bad? Boring? **

**Chapter 42**

Max jiggled his leg as he sat on the Valenti's couch. Isabel, Michael, Maria, and Kyle were collected around the living room. Amy Valenti was in the kitchen making what smelled like apple pie. Max watched Maria eye her watch again and send a glance at the door. He wasn't sure if she was waiting for Liz or the sheriff. He leaned forward on his knees. "When did Jim say he'd be home?"

Michael shrugged. "When he was finished."

Max rolled his eyes and was about to say something about Michael's ability to be vauge when a soft knock came from the door. A moment later, Liz entered. She smiled softly at everyone and silently took a seat on the arm of the loveseat Maria was sitting in.

Against his better judgement, he mentally reached out for Liz. When she'd left his house earlier that day, she'd been acting strangely. At the time, he'd figured she simply needed some space after the events of the last few days. Looking at her intently, he questioned if that was all that was bothering her. Her eyes were bloodshot and the skin underneath them puffy, as if she'd been crying. As he came closer to Liz's mind, she suddenly shuddered, and he felt her mind violently shrink from the connection. He quickly pulled away, confused at her reaction.

Maria obviously felt Liz shudder and put a soothing hand on Liz's leg while looking up at Liz. It irked Max that Maria obviously knew what was wrong with Liz, and the reason for Jim Valenti's demand that they meet at his home. After several more moments of silence, Max was fed up. He wanted to know what was wrong, and he wanted to know now.

"What are we doing here, Maria?" Max asked point blank.

Maria scowed and shot a warning glace into the kitchen where her mom was. "It's been a while since we were all together, and Jim promised he'd be home in time for dessert, so I thought it'd be fun for all of us to eat some of mom's famous apple pie."

Max narrowed his eyes for a moment before swinging his hand around the room. The air shimmered for a moment before returning to normal. "Your mom can't hear us now, so why don't you tell us the truth?" Max knew he was not being very diplomatic, but he was worried about Liz, and too stressed about what Jim wanted to deal with pleasantries.

He'd forgotton that Maria was not intimidated easily though. She straightened her back and faced him with a look that was a mixture of distain and annoyance. There was also a tinge of fear and hurt in her eyes as she replied, "Jim was called out on an accident today. He thought we should know about it." Max raised his brows in inquiry, hoping that it would induce her to say more. Instead Michael jumped in. "Jeremy's jeep was found off 285 North. It was banged up pretty bad. He didn't make it." Michael scowled at Liz, who looked beyond pale.

"Are you okay?" Max asked softly. His relief about Jeremy's death came second to Liz's apparent greif.

"Of course not, I killed him!" Liz exclaimed.

Everyone sat in shocked silence for a moment before Maria replied. "You don't know that Liz. I saw the accident. There were tire tracks all over, it could have been an accident."

Max was still processing what Liz said when Jim Valenti walked into the room.

* * *

Jim took off his cowboy hat and ran a hand through his hair before turning around and facing the room of young adults. He was silent as he surveyed each of them. Liz was visibly upset, and Maria had her hands clasped around Liz's. Michael looked as indifferent as usual, and Kyle was looking between Liz and Max with a look of worry. Max was the one that Jim was worried about though. Even across the room, Jim could make out the tightness of his face. Knowing how placid Max generally appeared, it was obvious that the man was upset about the turn of events. Jim turned his attention to door into the kitchen. He could smell Amy's apple pie. Turning back to Maria he asked, "Where's your mom?"

"Kitchen," replied his stepdaughter with a nod of her head.

"I guess I should say hi before we get started." Jim made his way towards the kitchen, but was stopped by Max's voice.

In a tone that was icy enough to freeze even Jim's veins, Max asked, "Is he dead?"

Jim inhaled deeply. Turning around, he sighed. "Yeah, he's dead." He looked quickly at Liz Parker who had let out a strangled sob at his declaration. Maria was murmuring something in her ear as she held her best friend. Turning back to Max he asked the question that had been plaguing him since he'd recognized Maria's car several hours before. "What did you do?"

Max's response was immediate. "We didn't do anything!"

"That's not true," Liz's soft voice interjected.

Jim turned towards the two girls that sat on his couch. "What do you know, Miss Parker?"

Liz's eyes scrunched up and she looked like she was in physical pain for a moment. When her eyes opened, they were still glassy with tears. "I was connected with Jeremy when he died. I think maybe I killed..." her voice trailed off as she closed her eyes. "I think maybe something I thought killed him."

Knowing everything about the aliens and their powers, Jim still felt it hard to believe that the little Liz Parker that he'd watch grow up could ever kill anyone. Unwittingly or not. He strode across the room and enveloped Liz in his arms. He could feel her shaking against him as she cried silently. "For what it's worth Liz," he said as she started to calm down, "the evidence suggests another car was involved. If that's true, then they left the scene of an accident, and that means they might have caused it, not you."

Liz stepped away from him for a moment, brushing stray hairs away from her face. Her eyes showed a hope and innocence Jim hadn't seen in them in years. "Really?"

"Yeah," he said softly.

Liz blinked. It was as if she was registering every one else in the room for the first time. "We all have alibis, sheriff. We were all together when he died. Max's mom was home too, if you need to corroborate our story."

Jim nodded. Liz Parker always amazed him. She had always been one of the smartest girls he'd ever met. Since his discovery about the aliens, his respect for her had only grown. This just left him speechless. A man she'd almost married had just been killed under suspicious circumstances. After hearing that she was likely not responsible for the accident, she immediately starts protecting the others. He knew she was likely right about where they all were, however it still didn't ease his discomfort with the situation. "Liz, why did you think you killed him?"

Liz heaved a huge sigh as she dragged both hands through her long dark hair. Jim noted that her dark eyes glittered with unshed tears. "I.." Her voice broke, and she cleared her throat. "You know how we've been using connections to spy on Jeremy?

Jim nodded, but remained silent.

"We, I mean I, was checking up on him. He was supposed to leave for DC for his new assignment last week. He never left New Mexico though. The FBI let him go after what happened with Max. He wanted revenge on Max, and me." Jim noticed Maria creeping behind her friend before firmly grasping her hand. Kyle, Max, Michael and Isabel all appeared to be as interested in what Liz was saying as he was. Obviously, Liz hadn't told them any details yet.

"I'd been connected with him for maybe ten minutes," Liz continued, her eye staring blankly at some undetermined spot on the wall. "He was thinking about Max, and the proof he had that he was an alien. He had planted a bug in one of my purses and had been listening to our conversations until I found it. He knew the special unit wouldn't take him seriously, so he was thinking about going public."

* * *

The room was silent as they waited for Liz to continue. The only sound was the clicking of the clock near the kitchen door. The silence was broken my the abrupt entrance of Amy Valenti into the living room. "Its awful quiet out here," she began before she saw her husband. "Jim! You're home," she quickly made her way over and gave him a peck on the cheek before she noticed the heavy atmosphere of the room. Her eyes narrowed as she took in her daughter's boyfriend's annoyed visage, along with Maria's worried face and Liz Parker's stained cheeks. Yeah, she'd definitely stepped into the middle of something.

She quickly walked over to the girl who'd become like a second daughter and gave her a quick hug. "You'll be okay, honey," she reassured. "You've been through so much and you've gotten through it. You can do this," she murmured in her ear.

Liz pulled away. "How did you.." she trailed off as Amy smiled.

Amy tried to hold her sarcasm at bay, but couldn't resist a slight eye roll. "You think I didn't know when you guys were sneaking around? I was young once, even did a good job of sticking it to the man...before I married him," she winked at Jim before turning her attention back to Liz. "A lot of weird and unexplainable stuff followed you kids. It wasn't hard to figure out you had something to hide." Amy looked straight at Michael as she said this, noting his eyes widen and his hands involuntarily twitch into fists. "You really think I'd have been okay with half the stuff you did with my daughter if I didn't know that it wasn't what it seemed? Especially after you came back from whatever planet you were on?"

There was a collective gasp from the room. Granted what she said could be taken figuratively, but Amy was betting that her hunch was right. There were bona fide aliens in her living room, and based on the face her husband was making, he'd known about it for a while. "I'm not even going to get into how angry I am that you didn't tell me my daughter was involved with an alien," she said to Jim when she met his eyes, "but we'll discuss that another time."

Amy turned her attention back to Liz. "You don't have to tell me if you don't want to honey, but I know it has to be bad for you all to be here. If you need anything, you let me know." Her voice was kind, but firm as she held Liz's chin and forced her to look into her eyes. A moment later, Liz nodded.

"Good," Amy said with a tight smile. "Now when you are all finished talking, there's apple pie in the Kitchen." With that she quickly walked back through the swinging door and into the kitchen. Once on the other side, she slid onto the hard kitchen chair.

It was one thing to have suspicions that seemed fanatical, it was another to have them confirmed. She bit her lip, wondering if she preferred speculation over fact. It wasn't very comforting to know that her baby girl was in love with an Alien; especially not one as unpredictable as Michael Guerin.

* * *

"Aw, Hell!" Michael exclaimed once Amy was safely out of the room. Everyone sort of nodded in agreement, too stunned by the latest revelation that another human had been made aware of their secret. True, it appeared that she had suspected or known for some time, but still it was a terrifying realization given the circumstances. How many other people suspected something? How many more lives were at risk? Liz felt her legs wobble before she finally planted herself on the coffee table. She'd finally reached the limit of shocks she could endure in one day.

Vaguely, she registered Kyle's heavily expelled breath. "Well dad, you sure know how to pick 'em," he said. Isabel must of thought it was funny, because Liz heard a muffled chortle to her left where Isabel still sat.

She wasn't sure how long she sat on the table, trying to process everything, but Liz knew it had been a while, from the numbness that had settled in her butt and was now moving down her thighs. She blinked a couple of times and tried to reorient herself. She couldn't let herself go completely. It wasn't the time. She could do it later when the Jeremy situation had been cleared up. She'd have to, but for now she needed to focus on what had caused Jeremy's accident. Only once they were free from the specter of his life and death could she take care of the emotions that were roiling inside of her.

* * *

Many hours and slices of pie later, Maria and Liz walked out of the Valenti house. Both stood facing each other on the sidewalk. After a protracted silence, Maria spoke her mind. "Can I just say that tonight was the weirdest night of my life, and that's saying a lot!" She exclaimed as she tossed a honey colored strand of hair behind her shoulders. She vaguely registered that her other arm was flapping in the direction of the house. "I mean, all this time my mom knew, and she didn't say anything? What's up with that? She was always so big on no secrets, but she doesn't tell me she knows about this...stuff?"

"I don't think we get to be mad at her, Maria." Liz blew out a heavy breath. "We didn't tell her about it either."

Sometimes, Liz's logical thinking really annoyed her, and this was definitely one of those times, Maria thought as she rolled her eyes. "Damn it Liz! I wanna freak out, let me freak out!"

Liz let out a soft chuckle. "Okay, let's just wait until we get back to your place?"

Maria's lips twisted in annoyance. "I hate it that you're so practical." A moment later, she felt a small grin creep across her face. "Mom really gave you an 'I love an Alien' mug?"

She watched Liz's face flush slightly. "Yeah, she did."

Maria snorted. "Guess we can't accuse her of not having a sense of humor." She jammed her hands into the pocket of her jeans and retrieved her car keys. "You want to come over, or are you heading home," she enquired as she nodded to the truck Liz's dad had loaned her for the evening.

"I'll come for a bit. I still feel a little too weirded out to head home."

"Understandable," Maria started heading for her car. "See you there."


	43. Chapter 43: Do Not Call List

_**A/N:**__ So I'm back with another chapter. It's short and rather pointless. (I thought about deleting it, but Kyle is too much fun to write and I couldn't bring myself to delete it.) Did I make the right choice? As my readers, I'd love to know your view. Next chapter its back to the actual plot!_

_Happy reading! _

**Chapter 43**

The sun had already risen when the cell phone chirped in the silent room. Groaning, Kyle batted at it to make it stop. He'd spent most of the night tossing and turning as he considered the previous evening. Jeremy was dead, Liz thought she'd killed him, but it turned out that she didn't, and his step mom knew all about the hinky aliens. All right, maybe not all about them, but she knew they were aliens, and it didn't seem to phase her. Somehow he felt he should be more perturbed by the situation than he was. Maybe he was finally finding his Zen? He flopped on his back as his cell phone rang again from the floor. Maybe whoever was calling would leave him alone if he didn't answer? Doubtful, he thought with a groan as he sat up and looked for the offending device. He really hated mornings, and his gut was clinching at the possibilities of who could be calling him, and the reason for it.

Finding the silver cell, he flipped it open without looking at the ID. Like a band-aid, he thought, better to pull it off quickly. "Hel-" he cleared his throat and tried again. "Hello?"

"Hello, my name is Amanda, and I'm with AT&T. We're offering an exclusive cell phone promotion package that I think you would be interested in."

Kyle looked bewildered at his phone for a moment before returning it to his ear. The perky voice had continued to blather in his silence. After a few moments of wondering if this girl would stop talking, he finally interrupted. "You know what? I appreciate the call, but I'm not interested." Before Miss Perky could reply, he'd flipped his phone shut. Buddha must hate him, he mused as he made his way into the kitchen. This was the summer break from hell, and he was still getting telemarketer calls even though he was on the Do Not Call list!

He shucked the phone on the counter next to the half full coffee maker and grabbed himself a mug. After filling it to the brim he settled himself on the barstool and took several deep sips before groaning and thunking his head on the cool tile countertop. Several moments of blissful silence were broken by the ringing of his cell phone across the room. Stalking across the room, he pulled it open. "Dammit, I don't want what you're selling!" He exclaimed and was about to slam the phone shut when he heard the distinct laughter of Isabel floating across the line.

"Well how would you know what I'm selling?" She finally asked.

"I'm guessing some kind of alien crap I can do without," Kyle replied without heat as he balanced his phone against his shoulder and poured more coffee into his mug.

"Busted," Isabel replied. "Thought you might want to come over today. I'm off, and everyone else is working... Except you."

"Thanks, I'm touched, really."

"Thought you would be."

"What exactly would we be doing?"

Kyle could almost feel Isabel's unholy grin on the other end of the line as she replied, "shopping?"

"No way," he responded. "My testosterone levels drop every time I go shopping."

"Geeze Kyle, a little sensitive about your manhood there?" Was Isabel's snarky reply.

"Nope. I just hate shopping."

Isabel sighed. "Okay, so what do you want to do today?"

"You want something non-alien related right?"

"Yeah, I need a break from the drama."

"Ditto," Kyle groaned. "After my coffee kicks in, I'll call you back and we can figure out something, 'kay?"

"Sounds good," Isabel said. "Later."

Kyle grunted and hung up the phone. How weird was it that Isabel Evans was calling HIM because she was bored? Shaking his head, he headed into the bathroom for a quick shower. He should have known that coming home to Roswell wasn't going to be simple.

* * *

Jim Valenti stood in his office staring at the file in front of him. The FBI wanted to take over jurisdiction on Jeremy Highland's accident. Even without Liz's knowledge of his death, he still wouldn't have liked it. First off, it was Jeremy Highland, a former FBI agent. Secondly the evidence pointed towards a hit and run. What he couldn't figure out is how to stall them enough to find out who really killed him.

In reality, he didn't really care, but it might mean another danger to the kids. He rubbed a hand over his face. They weren't really kids anymore but still he felt bound to protect them. He frowned at the file before turning his back on it and looking out the window. The file didn't contain anything he didn't already know. The results of the autopsy were standard. Except for the swelling near the hippocampus of his brain. The ME had written it off as damage from the accident, but Jim was wondering if there was something more alien related. After all, Liz had been connected to him at the time of death. Could it be a side effect? Or was he simply being paranoid? He rolled his neck in an effort to alleviate the tension. Paranoid was not a word used when it involved the alien trio. Every caution was warranted.

Which brought him back to that damned request by the FBI. Why did they want the case? Did they kill him like so many before because he had gone rouge? There were simply too many questions and not enough answers.

A knock on his office door brought him out of his musings. "Enter," he called. A moment later, Deputy Cole stuck his head in. "Special Agent Grant from the FBI is here, sir."

He was out of time. Jim sighed and scrubbed his face with his hand. "Send him in, Deputy."


	44. Chapter 44: The Mocking Icon

**A/N: Yes, I know this is a REALLY long time in coming. I apologize. NaNoWriMo kind of took over my life and my brain. And then, December kind of flew by with getting sick and family issues. This chapter hasn't been edited as vigourously as I normally do, but I figured you would prefer a few minor errors to waiting another week for an update. Thanks for all your reveiws, PM's and Favs. Its exciting to see that people are enjoying what I write. Please continue to reveiw or PM, as it really is an encouragement and a kick in the butt to continue working on it!**

**Happy Reading!**

**Disclaimer: I am fully aware that I don't own creative rights to Roswell in any way, shape or form. Please, don't sue me!**

**Chapter 44**

It was late afternoon, and Liz was looking at the icon on her cell phone again. Maria stopped her nonsensical chattering. "Who keeps calling you?"

"Huh?" was Liz's reply as she looked up from the voicemail icon that taunted her.

"You keep looking at your phone but not answering it," Maria prodded.

"Oh," Liz flipped her phone shut. "Um, Jeremy's parents called earlier. They left a voicemail. I'm just not sure I want to talk with them. The funeral was today."

Maria frowned and looked at her friend. "Do they know about you calling off the engagement?"

"No," Liz's voice was soft. "When I talked to them the first time, they were so upset, I couldn't do it. I told them I couldn't come to the funeral, they assumed it was because I wasn't ready to say goodbye."

"Oh," Maria didn't have anything else to add. The two women sat in silence for several minutes. Maria fidgeted with the fringe on the colorful throw pillow in her lap, and Liz opened her phone again and stared at the imocking icon.

"This is stupid," Liz declared as she punched her number for voicemail. Maria watched as Liz listened to the message, her face tightening into a frown. She listened to the message twice more before closing the phone and tossing it on Maria's coffee table.

"Well?" Maria asked as she watched Liz flop back on the couch, her eyes closed. She vaguely hoped she wasn't doing the alien connection crap again. She looked closely and Liz's face and decided she was just collecting her thoughts, not talking to someone's head, thank heavens.

Liz sighed and opened her eyes. "Linda Highland received a package today from Jeremy."

"What?!" Maria bolted upright.

"He mailed it the day he died. She called me because she's worried. Apparently he sent some classified FBI files to her, along with a note that in the event of his death it should be given to the newspapers."

"What!?" Maria exclaimed again.

Liz ran a hand through her long hair. "She wanted to know if I knew what he was working on and who Max Evans is."

Maria's mouth opened and closed several times, but she had been rendered speechless.

"Yeah," Liz said dryly as she closed her eyes.

A half an hour passed with the two of them silently contemplating the last acts of the deceased Jeremy Highland. Maria wondered how someone who was dead could still cause such turmoil. She looked at Liz and saw her flinch. "What?"

"Your boyfriend..." Liz's voice was cross.

"Where?"

"He wants to know if we know anything more about Jeremy's accident."

"He's connecting with you?"

Liz shot her a bland look that shouted duh.

"Tell him I said to leave you the hell alone, this connection thing still creeps me out!"

Liz smirked minutes later, and shook her head. "There are days I wonder how you manage to live with that man."

"I don't," Maria quipped back. "But I should for the amount of time he spends here instead of at his place."

"Have you seen his place, Maria? Would you spend more time there than you had to?"

Maria wrinkled her nose. "No, that place is nasty." Realization dawned on her face. "He's using me for my place isn't he?"

Liz chuckled. "Not your home per se, but I think he likes it better here than there."

Maria made a face. "If he wasn't so cute sometimes...."

"If who wasn't so cute?" Michael's voice came from the doorway.

Maria shrieked in terror and then annoyance. She looked from Michael to Liz, who had her hand on her heart, before laying into her boyfriend. "Michael! Damn it, you gave me a heart attack! I've told you to stop breaking in!"

Michael shrugged and planted himself in a chair across from the couch. "You never did tell me if you know any more about Jeremy's death."

Maria slanted her eyes at her boyfriend. "We don't need to, if we knew, you'd just break into our head to find out. I mean why would my mind be any different than my house." She was starting to work on a good mad; partially because of the adrenaline still rushing through her veins from Michael's surprise appearance, partially because she was afraid of what was happening with the Highlands. Also because she hated connections and disliked Michael's penchant for breaking and entering. The combination was too much for her and she started to rant. "I can't believe I actually have to explain privacy to you Michael! I mean there was a time when you couldn't stand to have anyone know your business, and now you're snooping in other people's heads! Did it occur to you that they might not like it, huh?" Maria stood and made her way over to Michael. "I swear you are the most insensitive, nosey, incommunicative, pain in the ass, jerk-face that I've ever..."

Maria's rant was cut off by Michael standing and fusing his lips with hers. It took several moments for her to respond but when she did it was with the same fervor that her earlier rant held. Neither noticed as they pawed at each other that Liz stood quietly, picked up her purse and left, locking the door behind her.

* * *

Liz stood on the other side of Maria's door, smiling lightly. Michael and Maria's relationship was unorthodox to say the least, but it worked for them. Liz wondered sometimes how it was possible for Maria to live so much in the moment. Liz walked down the stairs and into the fading sun. Liz mused that she was always looking into the future, wondering how her actions now would effect it. She blamed Future Max for that. Shaking her head, she decided that at least for the moment, she would enjoy the now. The setting sun was streaking the sky with orange. She resolutely put all other thoughts out of her head as she walked, enjoying the colors as they faded and twilight fell around her.

Liz blinked. It would figure that without thinking, she would end up here. She stood in from of the Evan's home. Shrugging to herself, she figured she might as well stop in. No doubt someone had already seen her. She headed up the walk and rang the bell. Diane Evans answered with a dishtowel in her hands.

"Liz!" she exclaimed. "How are you?" She opened the door and ushered Liz inside.

Liz's stomach growled at the smell coming from the kitchen. "Hi Mrs. Evans, sorry to just stop by..."

"It's fine," Diane interrupted. "Would you like to stay for dinner? Max should be home any time."

Liz looked around for a moment, weighing the pros and cons. Then she remembered: Jeremy was dead. She nodded. "I'd love to, thanks."

Diane was fretting by the time dinner was ready. Neither Max nor Isabel had arrived home yet. Liz's gut feeling was that they were fine, but she doubted that would comfort the mother of two Aliens who had left earth, and her, behind once before. She knew she could connect with them and find out what was happening, but the experience with Jeremy was still too new and raw for her to even attempt it. The thought made her feel sick to her stomach with dread. She hoped she never had to connect with anyone ever again.

While she was musing over what to do, Isabel walked in through the front door. "Hi mom, sorry I'm late," she called. She paused a half a second later when she noticed Liz sitting in the living room. Before she could come over, Diane Evans swept into the foyer and pulled Isabel into a fierce hug. The statuesque blonde hugged her mother back while shooting a questioning glace over the shorter woman's shoulders.

Liz tried to smother a chuckle at the scene in front of her. She'd never thought of Isabel as a big hugger, and to see her engulfed in a hug with the look on her face was simply priceless. Isabel's eye's narrowed at her as she extricated herself from her mom's arms. Mom, what's wrong?"

Diane Evans sniffled pitifully as she searched her daughter's face for whatever it was she'd feared was wrong. It was obvious that she didn't find it because her face became sheepish. "Nothing's wrong honey. I guess I just got a little carried away."

Isabel raised one perfectly sculpted brow at her mother. "I'm only ten minutes late, mom."

"I know." Diane sighed, "I just can't help thinking that every time you're late that something happened and you're in danger."

Isabel shook her head and gave her mom another light hug. "Well, I'm fine, and hungry! Let's eat?" She motioned for Liz to join them when her mother stopped in the entryway into the dining room. "Max isn't here. What if there's something wrong..."

She was cut off by the door opening and Max entering. Liz could see the slight flush making its way up Diane's face. She really couldn't blame her for worrying. Her parents did enough of that with her. It was funny to see her look so abashed by the emotion though. Max, however was completely oblivious to his mom's discomfort and was focused solely on Liz.

"Liz," he greeted softly as he came to stand a close to her as he could without actually touching her.

Liz smiled at him. "Hi, Max."

They stood staring at each other, reading each other's eyes until Isabel broke their reverie. "Good, your home." She tapped him on the shoulder, "think we can eat dinner now? Or are you going to devour Liz instead?"

"Isabel!" Exclaimed Diane.

Liz blushed and looked away quickly. Max simply scowled at his sister as the pair of not-quite-lovers followed the other two women into the dining room.

Dinner was uneventful. Phillip Evans was running late at the office, Isabel had explained so it was just the four of them. In between innocuous conversation, Isabel and Max would pass questioning looks at Liz. She understood how odd it must seem for her to show up with out some kind of alien emergency. She corrected herself before she continued the thought. There was an alien emergency. She just wasn't sure how to handle this one.

After dinner, Liz volunteered to help with the dishes. Diane refused her help and sent her to the living room with Max and Isabel. The siblings both looked up anxiously as Liz entered.

"Your mom's a great cook," Liz said, hoping she could hold on to the fairly normal dinner she'd enjoyed.

"Yeah, she is," Isabel said slowly. Liz thought she looked a bit suspicious of the complement. After a moment, the look faded, and she added, "it's too bad she still doesn't fully understand the merits of Tabasco sauce, though."

Liz laughed long and hard. It wasn't that Isabel's comment was that funny, it just was a way to release some of the tension that she was feeling. "I don't think any human fully will, Isabel," Liz replied after getting her breath back. Both brother and sister grinned at her.

"So what brought you to the house tonight?" Isabel changed topics quickly.

Liz sighed, so much for denial, she thought. "Linda Highland, um, Jeremy's mom called me today. Apparently before Jeremy died, he sent her a package with classified FBI files. She wanted to know if I knew anything about them."

Silence, there was absolute silence for several moments before Max stood and began to pace. "What kind of files are we talking about, Liz?'

Liz swallowed. I don't know for sure, but your name was mentioned in the message. Liz watched Max. He wouldn't meet her gaze, but she could tell he was worried.

"What else to you know, Liz?" Isabel asked after a moment.

"That's it. She called and left a message saying that Jeremy asked her to have the information published if anything happened to him. She wanted to know if I knew anything. I haven't called her back yet. I didn't know what to say," the last sentence sounded almost like she was pleading with Max. Liz didn't like it. She cleared her throat before continuing. "I can ask that she send the files to me and I'll take care of them."

Isabel nodded. "Do you think she'll send them?"

Liz finally took her gaze from Max to look at Iz. "I think so. She has no reason not to trust me. As far as they know, Jeremy and I were still engaged."

"What?" Max's voice was sharp and his eyes penetrating.

Liz sighed, "how was I supposed to explain that I'd broken up with their only son days before he was killed, Max? I couldn't do that to them."

Max sat heavily in a chair to his left. "We need to talk to everyone before we do anything."

"We need to hurry," Isabel said. "Who knows how long they'll wait to hear from Liz before they do something." Isabel turned her attention to Liz. "Can you connect with Michael and get him over here?"

Liz felt a shudder of fear ripple down her spine. Her voice caught in her throat, and she finally just shook her head, indicating that she couldn't, or wouldn't connect with him. Isabel frowned, but before she could say anything, Max interrupted her.

"I'll do it, Iz."

The trio sat silently for long moments. Finally Max shook his head. "Be happy you didn't connect with them Liz. I caught him _with_ Maria."

The emphasis wasn't lost on the two girls and they both cringed at what Max had likely witnessed. Privately, Liz thought that Maria would be adding another reason to her list of why connections were wrong. She was beginning to agree with her too.


	45. Chapter 45: Stupid SOAAH

**_A/N: Yes I know it's been a long time and incredibly short to boot. This chapter did NOT want to be written. The next chapter is already coming along though so hopefully there won't be such a dreadful lapse between updates. Please reveiw, PM, send smoke signals, whatever... I'm feeling a bit lost without my Roswell buddies living close by, and my lack of writing inspiration shows it! Maybe you readers can help?_**

**Chapter 45**

Kyle had never wanted to be part of the alien conspiracy. He'd seen what it had done to his father and grandfather. His grandfather was dead now, but the alien conspiracy was alive and very well, he mused as he hung up his cell phone. There was another development with Jeremy Highland, Maria had explained. They were meeting at her house to discuss it later that night.

Kyle sighed and flopped on the couch leather couch in the living room. When he'd left Roswell for college, he hadn't really thought of coming back, even to visit. Ironically enough, not only was he here, but so was the rest of the pod squad. He wondered if there was something more than a shared secret binding them together now. If he had to put a name to it, he'd say it was cosmic forces.

Shaking his head in disbelief at his own thoughts, he got up and headed outside. He needed to work on some lay-ups and footwork. His basketball coach would not be happy if he came back in the fall rusty.

Later that night all seven were gathered into Maria's small living room. It was obvious to Kyle that Max, Isabel, Maria and Liz knew what was happening. Michael was not happy that he didn't know, judging from the death rays that were practically shooting from his eyes. Kyle was privately grateful that killing someone with a look didn't appear to have become part of his repertoire. Kyle personally thought there had already been too much killing and death. He wondered briefly if the others ever felt the same. His revere was broken by Max clearing his throat.

"As you already know, Jeremy Highland was buried two days ago. What we hadn't realized was a possible motive the Secret Unit might have had for killing him. It appears that Jeremy stole some top secret documents and sent them to his parents."

Michael immediately began cursing and pacing. With his gut instinct to lighten a tense situation, Kyle joked., "I'm not sure if I should say he has balls or call him a stupid SOAAH."

Everyone looked at him oddly. "What does SOAAH, mean Kyle?" Isabel asked, the corners of her mouth twitching into an almost smile.

"Son Of An Alien Hunter," Kyle deadpanned.

Maria snorted. "So that makes you a GSOAA?"

"Huh?" Kyle frowned.

"Grand Son Of An Alien Hunter," Maria clarified.

Kyle shot a quick look at his dad, whose face had tightened even more. "Nah Gramps didn't do much hunting. He was more an obsessed nut. Kind of like Milton!" Every heaved a collective groan at the memory of Max's previous employer and alien nut.

Satisfied that the somber atmosphere had lifted slightly, Kyle turned his attention back to the matter at hand. "So what else do we know, oh royal ones?"

Kyle felt his dad give him a sharp nudge as Maria and Liz sent him warning looks. "Sorry," he said sheepishly and began fiddling with some sort of knick-knack from Maria's end table.

Max cleared his throat. "Linda Highland called Liz to ask if she knew what some of the papers were about. It appears some are files from the secret unit, and others are Jeremy's own notes. Some of which mention me."

"So the special unit killed him to try to retrieve the files?" Michael asked as he paused in his pacing.

Sheriff Valenti shrugged. "Its possible, we know they've killed rouge agents before. They certainly wouldn't want those files to get into the wrong hands either."

"Oh My God," Liz exclaimed softly. "Do you think they know Jeremy sent the Highlands the files? They could be in danger!"

Every one tensed at the thought of two more innocent people being dragged into their life. Kyle slumped into the sofa muttering a soft "crap." The room was silent. Liz's eyes were wide with worry and fear.

"We don't know if the Special Unit is even aware of where the files are, Liz." Max reasoned. "If we can get it from the Highlands, it might be okay."

Michael fidgeted in annoyance. "We underestimated them once, I don't think we should do it again, Maxwell."

Kyle exhaled slowly. It was never nice to watch Michael and Max go head to head. Max usually won the argument but ended up bailing Michael out of whatever he did on his own anyway. _Here comes the Alien Smackdown,_ he mused as the two men squared off.

"I'm not underestimating them, Michael." Max voice was calm.

"That's exactly what you're doing, assuming that they don't know what files were stolen and where they are."

Kyle was surprised that before the verbal ping pong could continue, Liz spoke up. "It doesn't matter if the Special Unit knows where they are or not. We need to get them so they don't end up in the wrong hands."

"How are we going to do _that_?" Kyle asked sarcastically.

Michael grinned and wiggled his fingers.

"No, absolutely not! I am not condoning your penchant for breaking and entering!" Maria interjected as she glared at her boyfriend.

Before Michael could answer, Liz spoke. "I was thinking I could go down there and ask the Highlands for the files."

"You're not going by yourself, Liz," Max commanded.

Liz actually rolled her eyes at the former Antarian King. Kyle drew a fist over his mouth to hide his smile. "And you going with me and introducing yourself would make it better?"


End file.
